Black Hills State University adjunct professor and entrepreneur Julie Turner Olson connected students with her large business network last semester in the Personal Selling course. The class of 12 students went on site visits, had web calls, or welcomed visitors into the classroom every Wednesday during their 50-minute class period, and ended the semester with a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area to meet with executives.
Black Hills State University adjunct professor and entrepreneur Julie Turner Olson connected students with her large business network last semester in the Personal Selling course. The class of 12 students went on site visits, had web calls, and welcomed visitors into the classroom every Wednesday during their 50-minute class period. The students were also invited by several representatives to visit offices in the San Francisco Bay Area over the semester break.
The theme of the Bay Area trip was “learning beyond books, the ultimate selling and networking experience.” The class visited and met with executives from Golden State Warriors (GSW) Stadium, Fitbit Headquarters, AT&T Park, Amazon Headquarters, Google Campus, and Hewlett Packard Headquarters.
Ty Hill, business administration and entrepreneurship major from Hot Springs, says, “With Julie and her class, we were able to get out into the field that we, as students, are interested in.” Hill continues, “It gives us a sense of ‘Wow!’ We’re gaining the knowledge, becoming business professionals doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore. We gained a sense of possibilities.”
All of the professionals who visited the class came from different backgrounds, some local and some internationally known. Students said listening to each unique story about how the businesses or owners got their start was inspiring. Many of the speakers came from small or relatable backgrounds to the students, so it felt personal.
This opportunity gave students a chance to realize that their dreams are attainable.
Olson, a BHSU alum from the Class of 1990 and 1992, began Turner Lee Consulting and Design, or TLC, in 1998 with a dream to change the way that typical marketing and design agencies are run. Major clients like Hewlett Packard now depend on TLC for development of product packaging, and Olson and her small but efficient crew emphasize transparency and client collaboration with their global presence.
Olson comments on her experience teaching Personal Selling and how she dove into her role as an educator. “My experience as a businesswoman played a critical role in my time at BHSU. By walking through that journey, myself, I was able to bring in real world situations and experiences to the classroom,” Olson says.
Olson expresses that networking is critical to personal selling, and that the relationship(s) you build can last years and years while making a large impact.
“I didn’t want the class to be about me, but about others who have had experiences to help them be successful. Learning from people in all walks of life and business experiences, their successes and failures provides a better learning experience,” Olson expresses.
More than 20 businesses both local and national to collaborated with the class including many BHSU alums.
Participating businesses and owners included: