SDSU Marketing Class Undertakes Life-Changing Experience

MKTG 478 student, Kat Alberto, relaxes on a sofa at the Humble Design warehouse.

During the fall semester of 2020, Steven Osinski, marketing lecturer at the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University, offered the 26 students in his “Marketing and Sales for Social Impact” (MKTG 478) class a unique opportunity to gain real-world experience while also helping those in need. Through this project, the class was able to make a significant impact in the lives of mothers and children experiencing homelessness while living in San Diego County through two local non-profit organizations, Home Start and Humble Design. 

Osinski told the group that this class would be “a blank canvas. To make this class work, I really need all of you to make it happen,” he said. “I have a bunch of intelligent, conscientious students and there are some real places in this community that could benefit from our help. Either we’re going to succeed together or fail together, but the ball is in all of your courts.” 

With those words and $5,000 of privately donated money for each organization, the students divided into two groups and began working with the staff members of Home Start and Humble Design to assess their marketing and fundraising needs. 

“An Unexpected Challenge” Part I

A team of students led by Breanna Luke worked primarily with Home Start to re-imagine and promote their annual fundraiser, Hallo-Wine, into a virtual wine-tasting event by creating social media messages and promotional videos. 

Jackson Novak takes a break from his work in the Humble Design warehouse.

The students also volunteered to package, coordinate and deliver the wine-tasting kits that would be provided to the donors prior to the October 24 event. Within two weeks of the event, they were faced with an unexpected challenge. “We learned that due to COVID-19, Home Start’s wine distributor couldn’t provide the promised wine,” said Luke, a senior majoring in marketing. “To overcome this issue, we reached out to the Gallo Wine Company, whom our class already had a business relationship with, who generously agreed to donate ten cases of wine at no charge.”

“Our class became a direct resource for families without homes, and my classmates and I will be forever grateful for the experience.”

 -Breanna Luke, SDSU marketing major

Thanks to the students’ quick thinking and flexibility, the Hallo-Wine event was back on track and raised $38,000 for Home Start, whose mission is to provide “every child a safe, stable and nurturing home.” 

Unexpected Challenge Part II

A second team of students, led by Amy Cordell, worked with Humble Design’s staff to gather donated furniture and home décor. Located in five U.S. cities, Humble Design utilizes the decor from various sources to furnish homes and apartments for individuals and families emerging from homelessness. Market research has found that the probability of a formerly homeless family avoiding future homelessness dramatically increases if they can move into a furnished home versus an empty dwelling. 

However, the students quickly found that collecting donated furniture is not too easy during a pandemic. “We reached out to all kinds of furniture stores to try to create partnerships for Humble Design and to ask for donations,” said Cordell, an international business senior. “However, COVID has reduced store profits, so fewer companies were willing to donate, despite the fact that more people were experiencing homelessness and needed our help.” 

Teaming Up for a Day of Service

“Working with Home Start was an amazing opportunity, and I am grateful for taking Professor Osinski’s class. It opened my mind to how I can contribute to these organizations and the people they support.” 

- Natalie Barrantes, SDSU marketing senior

As they scoured the county for usable furniture, the Cordell-led team also helped Humble Design relocate to a new facility by designing, organizing and stocking their new warehouse which was completed in early October. Following COVID-19 safety protocols, the students got Humble Design’s warehouse up and running in time for SDSU’s Day of Service on November 5."

On that day, the students agreed to safely collect and move donated furniture and housewares to an apartment that was slated to go to a single mother and son who recently left homelessness. They also agreed to stage the furnishings so that when the family entered the home, it was immediately ready for them to move into. 

The students were on hand when the young mother walked into her newly furnished apartment and they caught her surprise and gratitude on video. “Her response was quite overwhelming,” said Cordell. “The craziest part was just seeing her amazement for things that we all took for granted, such as having a bed, desk, decorations and little things like that.” 

In the weeks following the Hallo-Wine event and the Day of Service, the students continued to work the marketing and outreach efforts of both organizations. In addition, other students in the class collaborated with Pura Vida and helped package over 100 holiday gift bags donated by Pura Vida that were distributed to Home Start clients containing bracelets, hand sanitizer and holiday cards.

Jack Peabody tests the throw pillows in the Humble Design warehouse.

Impacting Lives

As the semester concluded, the students reflected on their experience in the class, its impact on them and their understanding of homelessness. “Working with the non-profits has opened my eyes to the issue of homelessness surrounding San Diego, as well as throughout the world, but it is heartwarming to know that Humble Design and Home Start are making a positive impact on people in need,” said Kacie Yonemoto, a senior majoring in marketing.

"Our efforts and contributions may not have changed the world, but it changed the world of those we helped.” 

- Video of Project Overview

Since most of the students in the class are seniors who are about to start their careers, the work they did during the class changed some of their outlooks during the job search process. “The class has definitely impacted my future career goals and has made me look into non-profits for potential jobs as a way to give back and create a lasting impact,” said Yonemoto. 

The experience also gave Luke perspective on her job search, saying that as a team leader, she enjoyed being the direct point of contact during the project since she found her “passion in maintaining positive, beneficial relationships.” She said, “Because of the experience I have gained from this project and class, I hope to see myself having a career in project management.”