COMMUNITY WITH OPPORTUNITY: ADVERTISING THE W. P. CAREY LEADERS ACADEMY AND THE EXPERIENCE OF BUSINESS STUDENTS IN BARRETT, THE HONORS COLLEGE

The following paper is a proposal for marketing materials advertising the W. P. Carey Leaders Academy and the experience of business students in Barrett, The Honors College. There is a distinct need for materials that market to and inform prospective students about the experiences and feeling of community that can be attained from being a student in the W. P. Carey Leaders Academy, which is "a community designed exclusively for premier students enrolled in the W. P. Carey School of Business" (W. P. Carey Leaders Academy). The challenge of successfully creating these materials was approached with various methods of data collection and research. The data collection included a review of Arizona State University (ASU), the W. P. Carey School of Business, and Barrett, The Honors College marketing materials, a review of materials from competing institutions, and scholarly articles on the subject of recruitment and marketing. Admission-based data from groups of excelling students was featured. Finally, interviews and surveys with current faculty, staff, and students were conducted to supplement the research and data collection. Analysis of the data provided insight into best practices when marketing from universities and provided an understanding of appropriate methods for marketing this information. The data indicated that creating an online viewbook, like the one currently marketing the entire business school, as well as providing a physical postcard mailer directing students to the online viewbook, would be the best strategy for marketing the W. P. Carey Leaders Academy. The sections of the viewbook this paper proposes to include are Why the W. P. Carey Leaders Academy, W. P. Carey Leaders Academy Experience, Student Life, Academic Success, Involvement, Scholarship, Professional Future, Barrett, The Honors College, For Parents, and Next Steps. Details of the Time, Cost, and Project Personnel follow.