The following article is taken from a paper that Steve Shirley is presenting at the 2nd Annual International Service Learning Research Conference at Vanderbilt University in October.

    Since 1996, the University of Minnesota, Crookston has focused on implementing service learning across a wide variety of disciplines throughout the campus.  Within the marketing discipline, we too have tried to broadly integrate service learning throughout all facets of the curriculum.  This proposal provides an illustration of a service learning initiative successfully integrated within the entire marketing discipline.

    Critical to the success of these initiatives, chief academic administrators are fully supportive of the efforts to integrate service learning opportunities at UMC.  Chancellor Donald Sargeant comments, "Our students learn the importance of, and experience firsthand, opportunities to reinvigorate the community through their engagement. They work toward improving the community's public purpose by practicing civic responsibility, and are exposed to real-life, real-world learning opportunities at the same time." 

    An example of integrating service learning throughout the curriculum for UMC marketing majors can best be exemplified with the illustration of the Novel Cup project.  The Novel Cup is a coffee shop located in Crookston that is operated by the Northwestern Mental Health Center (NMHC).  It serves as a form of work therapy for patients of the NMHC.  Therapy comes in the form of their work, interaction with customers, and establishing a normalized routine.  The service learning efforts began long before the Novel Cup was open for business.  In fact, when the service-learning project began, the Novel Cup coffee shop itself was really only a dream.  The Northwestern Mental Health Center contacted UMC during the Spring 2000 semester to see if it would be interested in helping to develop a retail coffee shop within which its patients would be able to work for therapeutic reasons.   

    The process of initially establishing the coffee shop and developing a retail operation was deemed appropriate for the "Creative Marketing" course.  Creative Marketing is the capstone class at UMC and consists primarily of senior marketing majors in their final collegiate semester.  Students at this level have been exposed to a wide variety of theoretical models, ideas, and curriculum in numerous marketing classes.  This project allowed them to put this knowledge into practical use.  The students were responsible for helping to pick out interior furnishings, coffee and menu selection, themes and product lines within the shop, and developing a name for the new coffee shop.  Students worked in groups to develop an initial strategy for the shop.  One group from the class even developed the shop's name, "Novel Cup."  This name is appropriate given that used books are also available at the shop in addition to food and beverages.

    The store was operational by the end of the semester and the UMC students were obviously pleased to see their tangible results come to life.  The Northwestern Mental Health Center was satisfied with the results throughout the summer, but decided the following autumn to try a "Re-Grand Opening."  Again, the UMC marketing department was contacted for assistance.  Since the concept of a Grand Opening focuses on marketing communication and promotion, the "Promotional Strategies" course tackled the project.  Students were responsible for developing a "Re-Grand Opening" theme and promoting the coffee shop and its offerings throughout the community.  These efforts included advertising, generating publicity, developing open house themes, and promoting the coffee shop to a broad audience.

    Novel Cup personnel wanted to further pursue two distinct markets within the Crookston community - college students and downtown business owners.  The shop felt these two markets were viable and compatible with the shop's product offerings, but were currently not frequenting the coffee shop.  This type of research was deemed appropriate for the "Marketing Research" class.  Students developed surveys for both potential market audiences to determine how the coffee shop could better appeal to these markets.  The data that was gathered focused on determining such issues as shop hours, menu selections, and interior décor to see what could be done differently to better appeal to these markets.

    A key focus of the research contained within the Novel Cup project was to see if one service-learning project could be successfully implemented by a variety of faculty and within a number of different classes.  Additionally, this service-learning project carried over throughout the course of two academic years.  Although there is no quantitative analysis associated with this research project, the impact that the program has had and its ability to involve marketing students over time in different courses has been deemed successful.  In-class discussions and reflection papers by students without a doubt indicate a strong connection between the marketing curriculum and various elements of the Novel Cup project.

    We look forward to working on similar comprehensive projects that involve a continuous approach utilizing numerous courses over time during a student's academic career.  As defined by The American Association for Higher Education and posted on the Campus Compact website, "Service-learning means a method under which students learn and develop through thoughtfully-organized service that: is conducted in and meets the needs of a community and is coordinated with an institution of higher education, and with the community; helps foster civic responsibility; is integrated into and enhances the academic curriculum of the students enrolled; and includes structured time for students to reflect on the service experience."  The Novel Cup project clearly has accomplished this mission by thoroughly engaging all UMC marketing students within their curriculum.  It will be exciting to find the next service-learning project that can be as comprehensive as the Novel Cup.