Student Scholarship: Insights from the 2018 Recipients

On June 20^th, 2018, MIMA and Fathom Consulting announced this year’s recipients of the Jarrid Grams and Robin Carpenter Memorial Scholarship. MIMA’s commitment to the future of advertising and Minnesota’s college attendees includes our free student memberships which provide over $35,000 in MIMA programming throughout the year. MIMA’s role in supporting our future marketers extends further in the hands-on mentoring and experience that volunteering and networking provides.

Each year, undergraduate students from across Minnesota compete in a marketing case study to win one of three student scholarships offered by MIMA. In 2018, students were asked to create a digitally-focused integrated marketing plan for a zero-waste grocery store. The objective of the plan was to raise brand awareness and store traffic while staying within a $50,000 marketing budget. No easy task!

The final competition was held at Fathom Consulting in downtown Minneapolis, where students presented their projects to a panel of MIMA board members. The Board was greatly impressed by the talent that each student possessed. MIMA is proud to announce the three recipients of the 2018 scholarship competition: Morgan Kuphal, Katie Coyne and Riley Plisek.

On behalf of the MIMA Board and volunteers, we congratulate each recipient on an outstanding performance and look forward to their future in marketing and advertising.

The Jarrid Grams and Robin Carpenter Memorial Scholarship is made possible by the generous grants by Fathom Consulting and the families of Jarrid Grams and Robin Carpenter. MIMA thanks these sponsors for their support of our future Minnesota marketers as they develop their careers.

Getting to know the 2018 recipients

MIMA sat down with each recipient to learn a little more about what got them excited about a career in marketing and what drives them moving forward.

Morgan

• College and major: University of Minnesota, Computer Science
• Extracurricular Involvement: Founder of eCommerce Club
• Professional experience: UMN Technology Help Desk and Self Employed

MIMA: What is one important lesson you’ve learned through launching your own business?

The most important lesson I learned while launching my own business was the importance of managing financial risk versus reward. It is incredibly important to keep expenses low at the beginning of any business. Only increase personal investment after analyzing the business model and proving it has potential to be profitable in the long run. I think this is the most important lesson any entrepreneur needs to learn before starting a business.

MIMA: How has your MIMA student membership contributed to your development as a young professional?

By being a part of MIMA, I am now part of a community of business professionals in Minneapolis that recognize my academic and financial accomplishments. Though my membership, I have met directly with board members and developed professional relationships. I now feel confident asking any one of the board members for a recommendation or to be a reference at my next job interview.

MIMA: What does winning the scholarship mean to you?

Winning the MIMA Student Scholarship will not only benefit me financially and allow me to pay back my student loans more quickly, but also gives me a great opportunity to show others what I have learned by starting my own online business. I greatly enjoyed being able to present my scholarship submission and business plan to the MIMA board and hear their feedback on my ideas. This experience has encouraged me to keep pursuing an online business and learn more about digital marketing.

Katie

• College and major: University of St. Thomas, Marketing Management
• Extracurricular involvement: Delta Sigma Pi, Delta Epsilon Sigma, Chamber Singers, Volunteers both internationally and nationally, Gibney Board Member
• Professional experience: Campus Talent Summit Intern at UnitedHealth Group, User Experience Intern at Securian Financial, Management Services

MIMA: How has your MIMA student membership contributed to your development as a young professional?

My MIMA student membership has introduced me to talented professionals, engaging speakers, and cutting-edge concepts. The marketing world is constantly evolving. Thanks to my student membership, I have the chance to learn from Minnesotan innovators who are changing what marketing looks like, and where it is going. MIMA provides the chance to network, learn, and grow in ways that are not always attainable in the classroom. I have developed as a professional and person by being exposed to such dynamic marketing fanatics.

MIMA: What does winning the scholarship mean to you?

I am extremely honored to win this scholarship through MIMA! Digital marketing is so multi-faceted, so I enjoyed taking on a case study that challenged me to think in many different ways. I loved tackling a real-world concept and seeing it through a marketing lens. I am grateful for all those involved, and who made it possible.

MIMA: What advice do you have for students looking to maximize career development while still attending college?

Utilize your resources! As students, we are lucky enough to have many opportunities that won’t always be available when we graduate. Go to career fairs, contact your school’s alumni organization, connect with your professors, visit you school’s Career Development Center, or join amazing organizations like MIMA that are free for students! A great way to take your career to the next level is to be involved. Expanding who you talk to and what you attend gives the potential to maximize your career. You’ll never know what will be possible for you professionally until you go the extra mile!

Riley

• College and major: University of Minnesota, Individualized Studies with an emphasis in Marketing, Communications, and Psychology
• Extracurricular involvement: MIMA, student member. Member of a photography and videography group comprised of creatives who practice as a hobby and discuss new editing techniques for both mediums
• Professional experience: Digital Media Intern at a buffalo ranch in British Columbia. Marketing Intern at Range Systems

MIMA: What initially drew you to study marketing?

To be honest, it was kind of a fluke. When I graduated high school I was unsure of what I wanted to do. I took a broad range of classes and fell in love with marketing. After I had learned the basics of marketing through classes, I was lucky to get an internship in the field. That experience sealed the deal for me. I knew it was the right fit. My internship at the buffalo ranch allowed me to put my skills to use for the first time. To make the experience even better, every morning when I woke up I got to drink a cup of coffee while watching the sun rise above the mountains. Later, at Range Systems, I gained an exceptional mentor.

MIMA: How has your MIMA student membership contributed to your development as a young professional?

It has helped me build a network that I can be proud of. In the past, I have gone to clubs and events held by different organizations and left with no connections that were applicable to my future career goals. Through MIMA, I have been able to personally connect with professionals who have been in my situation and can give me advice on the next steps to reach my career goals.

MIMA: What does winning the scholarship mean to you?

It means the world!! I had such a great time working on the project. It was challenging, but it also gave me so much room to let the creativity flow. When I got to present my completed project to the MIMA board, it was just a cherry on top.

More about the Jarrid Grams and Robin Carpenter Memorial Scholarship

Robin Carpenter

Robin was a long-time Minnesota resident and trailblazer in the business community. Her storied career included leadership roles at Burlington Northern Railroad, political and government work for Senator George McGovern and other entrepreneurship activity in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. She was a founder and Managing Partner at Evantage Consulting (now Fathom) and a founding board member of MIMA. Her legacy in the Twin Cities includes her strong commitment to women in business, improving healthcare and mentoring others on their path to success.

Jarrid Grams

Jarrid was an original board member of MIMA and an employee of Evantage. Jarrid was known in the early days of MIMA events as the guy who greeted everyone and introduced them to each other. He made everyone feel welcome and included, which contributed to MIMA’s initial membership growth. He was a true connector, a person who made others feel comfortable coming to events. When he passed away in a car accident in 2005, it was Robin Carpenter who contributed the first $500 to the scholarship established in his name.

MIMA is a membership-based organization that relies on its member’s commitment to provide high-quality events throughout the year. Join us in our important work enriching the community of marketers and advertising professionals in the Twin Cities. Our student memberships are free – make the best of your marketing education here.  Save the date for Summit 2018 – new location, better pricing, awesome content.  We have one last CATFOA (Conversations about the Future of Advertising) – get your ticket for the August event here.

Written by MIMA Marketing Committee Volunteer Jeffrey McHugh (Student Member attending University of Minnesota). Edited by Gina Micek, Marketing Committee Chair.