Bushnell University Partners with SportHill on Product Marketing

EUGENE, Ore. – This fall, students in the Intro to Marketing class at Bushnell University launched an exciting collaboration with SportHill, a local company known for its commitment to innovative sports products. Under the guidance of marketing professor Christy Silverthorne, M.A., who emphasizes the importance of promoting social good in business, students are tasked with creating a unique product idea and developing a comprehensive marketing campaign. They will pitch their projects to the company president during Bushnell’s Academic Creativity (ACE) Day at the end of the semester on December 4. ACE Day is a semi-annual research colloquium during which students present capstone projects and showcase research from individual classes.

“The primary goals for the students in this collaboration with SportHill are to create a new product idea and develop a complete marketing plan to accompany it,” explained Silverthorne. “Working with a real client is always beneficial because it pushes students to adapt to the client’s needs and current situation. As a result, they become more innovative.”

The partnership with SportHill provides students with practical insights into product development and marketing campaign creation. Jim Hill, the founder of SportHill, generously visited the marketing class to engage with students and discuss the company’s vision and goals. He invited students to visit his shop to explore various fabrics and gain a deeper understanding of product possibilities. On ACE Day, he will return to offer feedback on each student’s product recommendations and marketing campaign.

“This experience allows students to take away essential skills and concepts, such as marketing strategy, planning, strategic innovation, and campaign development,” added Silverthorne. “These are vital in today’s competitive job market.”

To learn more about Bushnell University’s School of Business, Leadership, & Technology and explore our academic programs, visit www.bushnell.edu/business. For more information on our Digital Marketing degree, visit www.bushnell.edu/digital-marketing. To learn more about SportHill visit www.sporthill.com.