Seton Hall Students Turn Concepts Into Practice Through Service, Research and Innovation at Fall Semester Showcase

This fall, Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business demonstrated the power of experiential learning as students transformed classroom knowledge into real-world impact through service, research, innovation and enterprise. The semester culminated in the university’s “Concepts into Practice” showcase, a series of presentations highlighting student work across business disciplines, organized by Associate Professor Elizabeth McCrea, Ph.D., and featuring projects ranging from global business strategies and marketing analytics to sustainability initiatives and a community blood drive.

A service-learning project partnered with the American Red Cross and corporate sponsor Lord Abbett was led by students in Associate Professor Mary Kate Naatus Ph.D.'s, Principles of Marketing course, consisting of planning and executing a campus blood drive. This student-led initiative combined strategic marketing, logistics and outreach efforts to strengthen community engagement while addressing the ongoing national need for blood donations.

“The project reminded me that marketing is not just about promoting products, but also about inspiring action and creating meaningful change,” shared Allison Eggert. “Connecting with Seton Hall students and community members during tabling sessions and promotional activities was a great experience and helped me put marketing concepts into action.”

• The Red Cross collaboration was just one of several dynamic student projects featured as part of the Concepts into Practice initiative:
•  Creativity and Innovation teams presented solutions to challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals using creative problem-solving approaches.
• Students in Starting a Business shared ventures and side hustles launched during the semester, applying effectuation principles to turn ideas into realities.
• Marketing Metrics students showcased performance analyses highlighting data visualization, analytical thinking and actionable business insights.
• Global Business teams presented international expansion strategies for major companies, focusing on sustainable and strategic growth in new markets.
• Finance students explored topics such as retirement planning, tax strategies and long-term financial security.

Additionally, Associate Professor Daniel Ladik, Ph.D.'s, Sports Poll presentations offered a data-driven look at fan behavior and public opinion in the sports industry, giving students hands-on experience applying analytics to real-world cultural trends.

Throughout the semester, students faced challenges such as coordinating teams, motivating participation, tracking campaign performance and balancing limited resources. These experiences encouraged the development of resilience, empathy, collaboration and leadership.

“These experiences reflect the very heart of a Stillman education,” said Dean Joyce Strawser, Ph.D., “When students put concepts into practice, learning becomes meaningful, skills become lasting and knowledge turns into impact. That connection between theory and action is what prepares our students to become thoughtful, ethical and effective leaders.”

Categories: Business