Cyndie Buckle, an instructor for advertising & brand strategy, offered students the transformative experience of organizing their own fundraiser through her advertising campaign class. The Harvest Music Festival, as well as the He-Brews Coffee social, were some of the student-led events to occur in her class to raise donations for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest (RMHC). RMHC is an organization dedicated to keeping families together when children are diagnosed with serious, life-changing diseases.
As part of Buckle's campaign class, students were expected to brand and organize their own fundraiser event with the help of their own agency team. Each team, specializing in a designated role, organized the fundraiser using their advertising experience. Gage Brockman, a senior in advertising & brand strategy and journalism & creative media industries, commented on this learning experience.
“Experiences like hosting a music festival and putting it on for charity is extremely helpful for us in the professional world,” Brockman says. “I can honestly say that I feel more prepared for the real world ahead of me. That event really put things into perspective for me.”
Brockman was the student who spearheaded the Harvest Music Festival and lent his musical talents for that night. He used his connections around town to secure a collaboration with Two Docs Brewing Co. on Oct. 16. Two Docs provided the venue plus donated more than $600 to cover the musician fees performed at the event. For Brockman, this event transcended a typical classroom experience.
“This event meant a lot to me as a performer because I was able to take my connections and the talents I've accumulated over the years to put together an awesome event to benefit the lives of others,” Brockman says. “To perform for the less fortunate and have the event turn out as successfully as it did was a truly humbling experience.”
Brockman and his team would go on to raise more than $1,125 in donations at Two Docs. He doesn't take all the credit, however, as his team and Buckle played a major role in supporting him every step of the way.
Buckle, with more than 12 years of experience in advertising, hopes to share her industry experience through her transformative class.
“I believe in providing a safe place for students to gain real-world experience to facilitate the transition from academia into the professional realm post-graduation,” Buckle says. “I am always looking for unique partnerships that provide opportunities of this nature.”
Alongside the Harvest Music Festival, student organized events hosted through He-Brews Coffee and One Guy from Italy helped raise donations for the RMHC. Buckle hopes her students walk away satisfied with their experience regardless of the event.
“I hope the students walk away with a feeling of pride in their accomplishments,” Buckle says. “Plus, a level of confidence that will propel them into future successes after they graduate from the College of Media & Communication.”