Written by Lauren Simmons // Graphic by Ben Evans
The Integrated Marketing Communications Organization (IMCO) took a trip Oct. 19 to Little Rock and toured various companies to create marketing connections for the students. The organization was scheduled to meet with Blue Flame Minerals, Tropical Smoothie, CJRW advertising agency and Apptegy software company as students heard from professionals about the future of marketing in a variety of companies.
Assistant professor of communication Lori Sloan, the adviser of the integrated marketing communications major and IMCO, said her goal is to provide students with future connections in the marketing field as well as open their eyes to the usefulness of the skill sets they learn at Harding.
“I want students who are in this program to be excited and confident about the opportunities that are out there for them and their skill sets,” Sloan said. “And I want them to be encouraged that they can make contacts in the workplace.”
Sloan said IMCO’s motto, “soft skills build strong bridges,” has been the mindset of the organization since it began in 2020. Through the support of the Center for Professional Excellence, IMCO has taken multiple trips throughout the school year at no cost to participating students.
IMCO president McKenna Oliver, a senior, said she has loved being a part of the organization throughout her college career. Through past trips, Oliver has connected with professionals at JB Hunt, Walmart, the Memphis Grizzlies and other companies. Oliver said she was interested in seeing how different types of companies implement marketing strategies into their businesses.
“I [was] excited to get to meet people in organizations that I did not know before and spend the day asking questions to people that are willing to help college students gain knowledge about real-world experience,” Oliver said.
Sophomore Abby Britt, vice president of membership, said she joined IMCO because she wanted real-world experience and to see how the class work is used in real-life jobs. She said the trip to Little Rock gave her a view of what happens behind the scenes in the marketing world.
“My favorite thing about being a part of IMCO is the trips and connections that are made,” Britt said. “The experiences are very beneficial and teach me more than I could ever learn inside of a classroom.”
Sloan said the most important part of IMCO is collaboration. She said she wants her students to open new doors for themselves and to make their dreams happen.
“Our goal is not to self-promote but to use our skills to promote other good causes,” Sloan said. “We want to be behind the scenes to help cool stuff happen, and so I want anyone looking at us to see us as collaborators and cutting edge as far as certifications and hands-on experience go.”
Sloan said IMCO has additional future events such as the annual trip to Memphis, Tennessee, a communication department logo contest and a service opportunity at the Timothy Hill Ranch.
