CSULB students give local small businesses a marketing makeover
Carlos Morales could get even the most headstrong puppy to sit, stay and come when called. But building an online presence for his dog-training business, Canine High School (K9HS), was another challenge entirely.
Fortunately, a team of five CSULB digital marketing students was ready to help — offering their skills, pro bono, as part of the Inclusive Marketing Initiative, a hands-on campus program run through the College of Business. The program pairs upper-division marketing students with small businesses — nearly all of them minority-owned — for a semester of digital marketing support. Since launching in 2020, the initiative has completed more than 200 projects, including campaigns for Foodologie, Wine on 2nd and Ziggi's Coffee.
For Morales' K9HS, the students established a cohesive brand identity, revamped the website to spotlight top services like puppy preschool, and launched fresh content across Instagram and LinkedIn. A playful “Student of the Week” series featured client dogs with training tips, while “Paws and Applause” highlighted their latest tricks.
The results? A 20 percent bump in Instagram engagement and a surge in blog traffic. Morales was thrilled.
“I want to thank the team for the enormous amount of effort, time and genuine care that they put into this project,” said Morales, one of nearly 20 clients who received marketing support this past spring. “I’m confident that each and every one of the students is going to have a bright future in advertising and marketing.”
How the program works
Kierstin Stickney, a CSULB marketing lecturer and the initiative's managing director, said each student team operates like a mini agency, with roles such as president, campaign manager and designer. They handle everything from client communication to content strategy — and learn how to pivot fast when plans change.
“Our students are actively managing client relationships, adapting strategy in real-time based on feedback, and building confidence throughout the process,” Stickney said.
As with the many CSULB programs that blend practical learning with public service, everyone wins. The businesses receive high-quality marketing support free of charge; the students walk away with real-world experience and, for some, a newfound belief in themselves.
This program sparked something inside of me that I will carry for the rest of my life.
Mario Redondo Luna, a vocal performance major and marketing minor, worked on branding and social campaigns for Springs of Hope Griefcare, a Long Beach nonprofit that supports people dealing with grief and loss.
“This program sparked something inside of me that I will carry for the rest of my life,” he said. “It was not confidence exactly, but more like a quiet voice saying, ‘You are capable.’ Maybe not always ready, but capable of learning, capable of asking for help, capable of trying.”
He added that the mission of his client — founded by a mother who lost her son and three grandchildren to violence — made the stakes feel especially real.
“Having the chance to work with a nonprofit in the Long Beach community," he said, "an organization with such a powerful and important mission, kept us motivated to always do our best.”
What students gain
It's no secret that Stickney is teaching a generation of tech-savvy students who can't remember a time when marketing wasn’t measured in likes, shares and follows. In some ways, they own the digital space. Still, she said, her class is never as easy as students think it will be.
“Clients often request real-time adjustments," she said. "Shifting timelines, refining content, rethinking strategy mid-campaign; this is the nature of the industry. And it’s rewarding to help students navigate all of that."
Several Spring 2025 clients are already acting on student recommendations, with some exploring long-term partnerships — and a few even hiring students outright. When it comes to real-world experience, the impact is clear: The Inclusive Marketing Initiative isn’t just academic — it’s transformative. No bones about it.
