About Prime
Prime's Origins
Prime was founded in 2015 by a group of students from Marketing, Communication, and Supply Chain backgrounds in Gus Colangelo’s BA 496 consulting course. Recognizing a gap in the opportunities for marketing students seeking roles in brand management, advertising, and consumer insights, they set out to address the lack of alignment between the curriculum and industry needs.
At its core, Prime is both a student organization in the fall and a course in the spring, open to all majors interested in gaining hands-on experience. The organization continues to provide valuable, real-world learning opportunities for students, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry demands.
Mission
Penn State Prime is an innovative network of students dedicated to enhancing their marketable branding, media, and analytical skills. Through competitive projects, collaboration with corporate and community leaders, and the diversification of their co-curricular intelligence, members gain valuable experience that sets them apart in the professional world. This network empowers students to develop key skills in a dynamic, real-world setting, positioning them for success in the competitive fields of marketing and beyond.
Fall Prime | Student Organization
Prime offers Penn State marketing students a unique learning experience designed to complement their classroom education. Throughout the fall semester, members work directly with industry leaders to develop both hard and soft skills through hands-on workshops, real-world projects, and case competitions. Students build their competencies in branding, advertising, strategy, creativity, and insights.
Through team projects, exposure to industry experts, and skill-building activities, Prime members gain valuable experience that deepens their understanding of marketing strategies and brand identity creation. This hands-on approach not only enhances their marketing knowledge but also provides insights into the importance of effective strategies and the role of a strong brand identity in today's competitive business world.
Spring Prime | Practicum Course
In the spring, 20 students are selected to join the MKTG 495A: Brand Management & Campaign Strategy practicum course, which offers a hands-on, real-world learning experience. Students are assigned specific roles on brand management or ad agency teams, working on a project for an actual client. They follow a structured process with the guidance of a mentor, navigating through stages such as Project Briefing, Request for Proposals, Chem Session, Pitch for New Business, Consumer Insights, Creative Campaign Development, and the final Campaign Pitch.
This 3-credit, 400-level MKTG course is open to students of any year, either through membership in the Prime organization or by referral. Throughout the semester, teams engage in data collection and analysis, meetings, brainstorming sessions, and presentations. The course culminates in a final pitch presentation, offering extensive experience and valuable exposure to the client-agency process, making it a "hands-on internship before the internship" without leaving campus.