Feb. 14, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Heather Baumruk
(661) 205-6270
hbaumruk@calpoly.edu

Allison Spivey
(805) 801-4462
aspivey@calpoly.edu

Cal Poly and Chevrolet Team Up for Education
Orfalea College of Business Students Get Real-Life Marketing Experience

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly's Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) students are teaming with Chevrolet for the Chevrolet Marketing Internship Program. The unique industry education course offers marketing students from 25 universities the opportunity to promote Chevrolet's all-new compact car, the Cobalt, to a key target market – fellow college students.

Over the next 10 weeks, OCOB students will create a fully functioning marketing agency responsible for researching, implementing and evaluating an integrated marketing campaign for Chevrolet. Student-developed marketing and communication strategies will be focused directly on their peers . Students receive a $2,500 budget to help bring their plans to life.

After organizing their agency and researching their target market, Cal Poly students spent the initial stage of the quarter formulating their marketing strategy recommendations and campaign ideas. They will have the opportunity to design an Internet Marketing Campaign aimed at increasing awareness about the Chevrolet Cobalt while informing fellow students about the car and the Chevrolet brand.

"This is a great opportunity for students, consistent with Cal Poly's learn-by-doing philosophy,” said Professor Terri Swartz, faculty advisor.

Students will present their concept to executives of Chevrolet during finals week of the winter quarter. They will then launch their campaign as well as track and analyze its results. The program culminates in a formal, agency-style presentation that gives students the chance to develop public speaking and presentation skills.

"I am really excited about this hands-on experience. This internship has taught me so many things that I will be able to use in the future," said Callista Wengler, one of the nine OCOB students participating in the Chevy Cobalt project.

OCOB students involved in the project include: Heather Baumruk, Bakersfield; Lu Dong, Saratoga; Eibad Ghori, Palo Alto; Morgan Lampert, Novato; Brian Lewis, Bakersfield; Angela Rossi, San Jose ; Allison Spivey, Novato ; Dash Taniguchi, Merced ; and Callista Wengler, Sacramento .

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