Teaching - Bree Goldstein

Numerous businesses were started in my class and some are still thriving 5+ years later.

In America, our education system has strayed from learning to memorizing. Many university students expect to have all of the information provided to them and questions posed in such a way that they can regurgitate information rather than think for themselves. The students would rather skip class and get notes than attend class and engage in the conversation. They would rather bury themselves in their digital devices than participate in offline relationships.

As an adjunct instructor at the nation’s largest university, Bree strives to remedy this issue by bringing the course materials to life through hands-on exercises and projects that challenge the students to think creatively, practice public speaking and draw their own conclusions.

Bree created a new syllabus for a course that was offered as an elective every other semester, although the new class directed by the syllabus Bree created has become mandatory for marketing majors and multiple sections are offered each semester. Not only does Bree run her own class, although she is often brought in as a guest lecturer in other courses since many other professors’ experience is purely academic and she has used each of the tactics and techniques in her professional practice.

Within a few short years, Bree’s course became required for both marketing majors and students in the Professional Selling Program and is offered in multiple sections each semester.

The students each create an online presence for themselves, and create, implement and analyze an online marketing campaign for an existing or new business, service or product.

The course has expanded beyond the classroom walls! Not only do the students work on their own ideas, they also have the chance to work with a local organization. This hands-on experience has proved invaluable. Additionally, the students compete to have the best project and the winning group, who is chosen by their peers, receives the Student Choice Award and an opportunity to meet with a group of angel investors.