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KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 22, 2025

In what serves as an experiential learning opportunity, students in Patrick Fennell鈥檚 Marketing Research class at Kennesaw State University have been creating and analyzing datasets to support organizations looking to reach a wider audience.

Designed to prepare students for their future careers in the field, the focus on real-world application ties in to the guiding framework of the Department of Marketing and Professional Sales in the Coles College of Business, coined 鈥淎cademia Meets Practice鈥� (AMP). Fennell, an assistant professor of marketing and professional sales, has helped lead the effort over the past two semesters, first with Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, an Alpharetta-based nonprofit, and now, with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.

Once the students present their findings to clients, the idea is to pass those insights along to other classes in the department for further development.

鈥淥ur approach links theory and textbook concepts to practice, bridging together our students with companies,鈥� Fennell said. 鈥淚n our strategic planning process, we listened to students, and we found that a lot of students can鈥檛 tell you why they chose marketing or what a career in marketing looks like, and we found a strong way to address that.鈥�

Marketing efforts in the Coles College stretch to the Marietta Campus at the College of Computing and Software Engineering (CCSE). There, recommendations resulting from the data analysis performed in Fennell鈥檚 class becomes even more tangible, by way of assistive technology. Last semester, CCSE students developed a volunteer management application for Angels Among Us to reduce administrative burdens by streamlining operations, tracking volunteer hours, and improving communication. 

While Angels Among Us has a growing volunteer base, Executive Director Kim Kay said her team has been trying to appeal to a younger demographic, ages 18-40. Historically, the nonprofit has done well using Facebook to recruit volunteers and has more than 850,000 followers, but it鈥檚 looking to other platforms, like Instagram and TikTok.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to speak to young people and young families to get them involved, helping animals,鈥� Kay said. 鈥淜ennesaw State has been really helpful with that from both the tech and the marketing perspective.鈥�

Monika Cribeiro, an information systems student in the KSU Journey Honors College, was one student who worked on the Angels Among Us project. She went further and conducted a financial analysis, then went on to offer similar marketing research services to My Green Earth, a nonprofit dedicated to sustainability in Cobb County.

鈥淣o matter what major you are, being able to create surveys and analyze the responses to solve company issues is a very important skill to have,鈥� Cribeiro said. 鈥淚 loved Dr. Fennell鈥檚 class from beginning to end.鈥�

Now working with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Fennell鈥檚 students have created surveys for an 11,000-member customer base as well as noncustomers and conducted a quantitative analysis that will inform a presentation to the organization. They intend to address gaps in the organization鈥檚 programming, identify potential market segments, and increase overall awareness.

鈥淏ecause of all these musically inclined folks in the Atlanta metro area, the Georgia Symphony Orchestra is oftentimes confused with other organizations, more specifically the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, which has more resources,鈥� Fennell said.

The opportunity to develop and hone marketing research skills through working with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra was an impactful experience for Lila Saari, a senior marketing major. For her, attending one of the organization鈥檚 performances set the stage for the project.

鈥淗aving this under my belt, really understanding the different types of marketing research and how to set up surveys, evaluating the data, is a really big deal,鈥� Saari said. 鈥淚t's also been really great working in a team setting, being able to collaborate with each other and decide what questions will get the best results.鈥�

鈥� Story by Amber Perry

Photos by Matt Yung

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 色色啦. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.