April 24, 2024
Contact: Deidre Ashley ashleyde@missouri.edu
If you walk into Cornell Hall on the University of Missouri campus around 2 p.m. on a Monday, you might hear the faint sounds of music coming from a second-floor classroom. And if you follow that melodious path, you'll likely find yourself in Assistant Professor Katie Essing's Digital Girlfriend Marketing class.
Essing's personality is as upbeat as the music she plays, both intentionally chosen to help her students succeed.
“While working in retail, I got the idea to play music as a way to show students how they were being taught,” Essing said. “We play lively music when students enter the classroom, and quiet, lo-fi music when they are focused on class. Students on campus are similar to customers in a store, and we communicate with them quickly. It's important to be courteous and courteous. That's how people are in the retail industry, and I think students deserve the same courtesy and professionalism.”
Essing's commitment to service has a history. Robert J. Trulaske Sr. College of Business alumnus said he has always felt a sense of duty to give back to Mizzou, especially since being selected as a Walton Scholar as a student.
After graduating from Mizzou University, Essing became a retail buyer in St. Louis and then worked in mall management for 12 years. Essing began teaching retail marketing part-time in 2003. She also held the position of Executive Director of the Downtown Community Improvement District. She began teaching at the university full time in her 2020. Since then, she has made it her mission to bring that same passion for retail to her education and beyond.
“The Walton Scholarship was life-changing,” she said. “It enabled me to attend college and sparked my interest in the retail industry. It made me want to support the Tigers in the same way they supported me. I came to Mizzou to do just that. I'm very happy to be back.”
Embodying experiential learning
Essing recognizes the importance of the intersection of hands-on learning opportunities and practical course materials in retail and digital marketing courses. She implements a flipped classroom model where students build their learning around a menu of options, including lectures, textbook readings, and study guides. In class, students participate in activities and apply the lessons learned to real-world scenarios.
“She really puts effort into strengthening the curriculum,” said Kylie Groh, a third-year student in Essing’s digital marketing class. “She takes what we are learning and adds projects that give us hands-on experience. She spends a lot of time during the week on these additional things, so this That's impressive. It shows how committed she is to making sure we learn.”
One of these learning opportunities goes back to Essing's retail roots. Students are tasked with solving a real case for Walmart and even have the opportunity to collaborate with company leaders and present their solutions. Associate Professor Courtney Cothren, who co-teaches retail marketing with Essing, emphasized the importance of partnering with international companies like Walmart.
“Walmart is one of the largest companies in the world, so knowing that students are solving real-world cases and collaborating with company executives makes them more invested and excited about the project,” Cothren said. Told. “This shows them exactly how the concepts they are learning can be applied to their future career.”
innovative educator
Since joining the College six years ago, Essing has not only integrated into the College of Business, but helped improve it. Thanks to Essing, more students are enrolled in digital marketing courses, digital marketing certificates are created, and students in the digital marketing club have access to world-class mentors.
“She's knowledgeable about all things digital marketing, which is helpful because that's what I want to learn and why I came to Mizzou,” said Kelsey Etherton, a business administration student who met Essing while studying abroad in Prague. ” he said. She said, “She's enthusiastic, she actually cares about my future, and she wants to help me in any way she can. Katie has always been a cheerleader for everyone in the class.”
Essing also creates networking opportunities for her students by introducing guest speakers to her classes. Many of our guest speakers are former students and come to share job and internship opportunities. Just as Essing received her scholarship and wanted to give back, graduates of her own course were also inspired to support the next generation of students and support the Tigers at their best. doing.
“I am happy to give back to the incoming leadership,” Essing said. “It's so rewarding to work with students and really enjoy seeing them now in their careers and coming back to Mizzou. I'm lucky to be able to do this. ”
Story written by Audrey Brown
