Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit farmer’s market has been operating for over 25 years with a volunteer board of directors and a part-time market manager. We have developed a customer and vendor base on a simple word-of-mouth marketing scheme. While our strength is community-centeredness, the most poor and isolated populations within our area were not attending the market despite the availability of programs and support that would give them access to fresh, local, healthy and nutritious food. We needed help. Sydney’s class treated us like a fortune 500 company in tackling the monumental task of marketing our programs to poor people. The ideas presented were diverse, creative, within our budget and presented in a way that allowed an all-volunteer board to take on the next steps. We’re currently in the process of implementing several of the strategies presented by Sydney’s students. Sydney’s work literally reduced hunger of children and impoverished families within our region. We are forever grateful and implore the committee to award and associate her work on food insecurity with the University of Akron.

Emily Collins | Board Member | Haymaker Farmers’ Market

Dr. Chinchanachokchai’s students were professional, helpful, and innovative. The marketing plans they created for our cultural institution—covering everything from social media to potential community partnerships–were detailed and useful. The teams helped us see our services, our customers, and our brand from a creative outside perspective. We have already begun to implement some of the suggested marketing strategies and are quite happy with the results.

Cathy Faye, Ph.D. | Executive Director | Cummings Center for the History of Psychology

“Working with Dr. Sydney Chinchanachokchai and her students was a wonderful learning opportunity for me as a new non-profit founder. Sydney and her class were warm and welcoming to me and the students were very excited to help us communicate our mission and recruit volunteers.

Not only has RunningDog used several of the items the class crafted for us, but I learned so much as a new business leader, and that is priceless! Several of the students took our orientation and volunteered with our group. One of her students even reached out to me after graduation and helped us with a fundraising event. I am now working with another group of her students from her [digital marketing] class as they work on a new project for a new class.”

Beverly Dillon’s | Executive Director | RunningDog

“The Eau Claire City-County Health Department is so grateful to your class for the excellent work they did on the radon test kit campaign.  We executed the class recommendations and saw a big increase in radon awareness and test kit sales!  The market analysis and creativity that went into the campaign development was superb!”

Shane Sanderson, MS, JD, REHS | Environmental Health Director | Eau Claire City-County Health Department

“I contacted Dr. Sydney last year because I was looking for fresh and innovative ideas on marketing a new business. Her promotion class helped me by showcasing new avenues into advertising that I had not considered, while also giving me a great template to go off of. The result was great branding and marketing material that I felt proud to use for my business. One thing I liked very much was, rather than coming up with broad cookie cutter ideas, they gave interest in getting to know my particular business and how to reach its target market. By the end of the semester I found myself highly impressed and felt rewarded to be able to give the students insight from a local business owner. I would definitely recommend Dr Sydney and her class to those who need a new perspective on how to reach further with your brand than ever before.”

Dr. Thomas Pellatt, DC | ChiroElite Chiropractic + Rehab  

“This past spring semester, Sydney Chinchanachokchai’s Marketing 332 class did a wonderful job taking on the tough task of how our on campus student organizations management system “BluSync” could be better promoted and utilized on our campus.  The project groups went right to work and tackled the research they needed to find out more about how the system works, what challenges students and staff face in utilizing it, and how our office can work to better engage and promote the system throughout our campus.  The groups did a phenomenal job of gathering their information and incorporating what they learned throughout the semester into seven final portfolio proposals.  Needless to say, we were thrilled with the insight, professionalism, and creativity that each group presented and will be utilizing pieces of each proposal package throughout this upcoming year!”

Sara E. Thommesen | Student Organizations Coordinator  | UWEC BluSync

“Working with Sydney’s Marketing class this spring was a great experience and a huge benefit to my small business.  Not having a good understanding of the value of marketing as I started my re-branding process for my yoga retreat company, Sydney led me though steps on making sure I was targeting my demographic and reaching out to my customer base.  Sydney’s classes impressed me with their research on my unique business and taught me how to reach them via their presentations.  They offered me many ideas I would not have thought about on my own. I really enjoyed working with her and the students!”

Amy Annis | Madeline Island Yoga Retreats & Clean Spirit Yoga