In every class I teach, I strive to go beyond textbooks and PowerPoints. My goal is to create meaningful, hands-on experiences that not only deepen students’ understanding of marketing concepts but also give them a competitive edge when they graduate and enter the job market. Below are the courses I typically teach:
MKTG 417 – Digital Marketing
This course explores the fast-paced and ever-changing digital landscape. We cover everything from paid search advertising and social media campaigns to email marketing, influencer strategy, and e-commerce best practices. Students build their own websites, learn how to evaluate performance with tools like Google Analytics, and explore how AI is transforming customer targeting. The class is designed to be practical, creative, and immediately applicable—many students use their final projects as portfolio pieces during job interviews.
MKTG 411 – Marketing Research
Students in this course learn to think like data-driven marketers. We focus on both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including survey design, data visualization, and analytics platforms. Students run live focus groups for businesses that they create. They leave the class with experience conducting primary research and writing full-scale research reports—skills that employers highly value.
MKTG 301 – Principles of Marketing
More than just an introduction, this course lays the foundation for understanding how marketing shapes business strategy and consumer experiences. While we cover the fundamentals—the Four P’s (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion)—we also explore consumer psychology, segmentation, market research, and ethical issues in marketing. Students engage in team-based projects that require them to apply what they’ve learned in real-world scenarios, preparing them to hit the ground running in internships and entry-level roles.
MKTG 427 – Alleviating Food Waste
Offered as part of UMW’s Food Studies Minor, this interdisciplinary upper-level elective challenges students to examine food waste through a marketing lens. We study how supply chain inefficiencies, consumer misperceptions, and poor marketing practices contribute to waste—and what can be done about it. Students partner with local organizations like the Fredericksburg Food Bank and the Food Co-op to conduct audits and design communication strategies. We also explore how food waste intersects with environmental sustainability, food insecurity, and public policy. It’s a class where students see how marketing can drive social good.
