From left: Whitney Kreier, Phoebe Galingsrud, Fiona Connolly.
If you've noticed additional content on the Whitman School's social media platforms lately, it's likely the work of POV Brand Management, a student-led digital marketing agency working with the school's marketing and communications department this semester. It is thought that there is.
“Developing up-and-coming entrepreneurs and supporting their ideas is at the heart of the Whitman School. And to further our commitment to entrepreneurship, we hire our own talent. Is there a better way?'' said Chair J. Michael Haney, the university's vice provost for strategic initiatives and innovation and a faculty member in Whitman's School of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises (EEE). talk. “We recognized the need to market to Gen Z and this semester we are meeting that need by hiring POV, a digital marketing agency founded by Whitman/Newhouse students and run by other students across the university. This was a great partnership that benefited both Whitman and POV.
POV was created by CEO Phoebe Gullingsrud ’24. Her entrepreneurial flair dates back to her high school days, but business and business were on her mind as she began her first year as a double major at the Whitman School and SI Newhouse School of Public Communication. I am now full of ideas about how a course in communication can help me. She establishes a real business. At the time, the pandemic was in full swing, and Grinsrud knew that businesses were struggling and there was an urgent need to adapt her business online. She knew she couldn't do it all by herself, so she hired other people with different skill sets, and by her second year at Grinsrud, her POV started her own marketing consultancy company.
Mr. Gullingsrud continued to run POV while studying abroad in Barcelona in the spring of 2023. When I returned home, I thought about taking an internship, but I quickly realized that what I really wanted to do was start my own company.
With the mentoring support of Entrepreneurial Practice Professor Ken Walsleben, who encouraged her to work on POV over the summer, she reorganized her team and set a clear focus on her business. In Fall 2024, Gullingsrud relaunched as her POV Brand Management, a full-service digital marketing agency.
Currently, Grinsrud has a team of six other students. Whitney Krayer ’24 is a psychology major and chief operations officer in the College of Arts and Sciences. Fiona Connolly ’24, advertising major and chief creative officer at the Newhouse School. Heather McClure ’25, public relations major, public relations director and copywriter at Newhouse Her School. Lauren Diaz, Chief Financial Officer, Boston University; Melissa Garcia, Chief Strategy Officer, University of Rhode Island; Sona Cyriak, general marketing specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The opportunity to partner with the Whitman School was a happy coincidence. In the fall of 2023, Grinsrud was strategizing with Walsleben at Whitman's Koori Hatchery when Haney stopped by and overheard them talking about his POV. Ms. Haney asked Ms. Grinsrud more questions about the institution and gave her an opportunity to suggest ideas to support the Whitman School's efforts to reach its targeted Gen Z demographic.
“After Mike (Haney) stopped by, I told Phoebe that if we did well, we might get some new customers,” Walsleben says. “The next thing I knew, I was giving her feedback as she honed her pitch. Phoebe and her team are true digital natives, which is a huge advantage in this space. They may find that there is a niche in digital marketing for higher education.
The proposal was successful and POV was hired to run the Whitman School's social media for the spring 2024 semester.
“For our department and the Whitman School, it has been a boon to have POV’s resources available this semester in our ongoing efforts to share some of the great things we do at this school on social media,” Dawn said.・Mr. McWilliams says. Director of Marketing and Communications at the Whitman School. “In recent months, the team has been working with students, alumni, speakers, and events at the Whitman School, including a visit from renowned baker Buddy Valastro in March and the Panassi Business Plan Competition in early April. We've done a great job of introducing them.''
McWilliams said POV is helping the station create a more formal system for social content while also providing a Gen Z perspective that appeals to Whitman's target audience.
“POV has had a great partnership with Whitman. This is a game-changer for our business goals and demonstrates our ability to operate collaboratively with clients at the scale of the Whitman School. It was helpful,” Kreier said.
Although the POV team will graduate in May this year, Gullingsrud is confident the business will continue to adapt and reach its full potential.
“We recognize the essential value that innovative digital approaches bring to business growth, and our group of talented professionals has already supported 20 companies, including The Whitman School. ” she says. “We plan to continue to evolve as we anticipate business needs, creating unique and innovative digital solutions that increase value for our clients and grow POV into a full-time digital marketing service unlike any other.”
Story by Caroline K. Leff
