Business department joins “Walk into My Future” line-up

On Sept. 30, the Huntington University business department will participate in the university-sponsored “Walk into My Future” event. Professor Brock Zehr’s marketing class, representing the business department, has been added to the group of activity stations for the first time this year.

Zehr said his students’ participation fulfills many goals of the business department – illustrating that business can be fun to elementary students and providing an opportunity for the program’s students to serve the community.

Business people are often portrayed as “evil, stodgy and corrupt,” Zehr said. He hopes to paint a different picture for the visiting elementary schools by helping them interact with business students and business-related information.

“We want to portray the opposite of those images so young students may consider business careers,” Zehr said. “Likewise, all students will be consumers during their lives, so it makes sense they have basic knowledge about business principles.”

At the marketing station, elementary school students will have the opportunity to play a game designed by the class called “Logo Mania,” which involves matching familiar advertising logos with their company names. Each student will leave the station donning an “I played HU Logo Mania” sticker to wear home.

“Walk into My Future” also offers opportunities for Zehr’s marketing students to learn and grow. They are involved in all steps of the process – designing the booth and games, creating a music jingle and operating the station. Zehr’s class will also observe the elementary students to obtain insight on the consumer behaviors of youth.

“We want the elementary students to have a fun, interactive learning experience,” Zehr said.