Program: University of Denver (M.A. - Communications Management & Marketing)
Project: M.A. Capstone - "The Challenge and Responsibility of Marketing Ethically in Modern Day Business"
Role: Graduate Student (academic)

Brief: The Portfolio Capstone provides students the opportunity to reflect upon the work they have done throughout their graduate studies at University College and synthesize their learning. Students in the seminar produce deliverables that include: (1) a thorough annotation of their portfolio, a process requiring critical and creative thinking about their educational experience, and (2) a pinnacle project that identifies, analyzes, and elaborates significant themes in their program experience, evaluates their accomplishments, connects their coursework to their professional goals, and assesses those goals in the context of their chosen field.

I chose to conduct my project in the form of a mini-documentary which I wrote, produced, edited, and voiced-over. This piece discusses the current state of marketing, unearths the history of public relations, and provides three case study examples of modern day marketing mishaps. Throughout, I offer four prominent solutions which brands should utilize to face the challenge and responsibility of marketing ethically, and conclude with a challenge to current and future brands to consider these foundational principals when marketing.

This undertaking is the accumulation of numerous sleepless nights, 10+ hour study sessions, and my tenacious commitment to my educational pursuits over the course of my project, and the program as a whole. The conclusion far exceeded my expectations with the generous statement from the program director "This was thee single best final project I have EVER received. I would love the opportunity to share this with future students as an example of what's possible". Still to this day I return to these comments for inspiration and joy.