CSULB Marketing Students Win First Place in National Media Scholars Competition
Two recent graduates from California State University, Long Beach’s Department of Marketing—Davis Abog and Safi Mahmood—have made university history by taking First Place in the prestigious Washington Media Scholars Foundation (WMSF) 2025 Media Scholars Case Competition. This marks the first time CSULB students have participated in this national competition—and they won it all.
The final round of the 16th annual competition concluded with an awards luncheon held in Washington, D.C. on June 12, 2025, where the Foundation honored Davis and Safi with $5,000 scholarships each and recognized them as top media strategists among a pool of student finalists from across the nation.
The Washington Media Scholars Foundation (WMSF) supports undergraduate students with real-world strategic media experiences, awarding over 1,000 students since its founding in 2009. Through both merit and need-based scholarships, WMSF helps bridge the gap between academic theory and industry practice.
An Academic and Professional Milestone
Safi and Davis, who both graduated in May 2025, competed in several rounds of rigorous strategy development and media planning. Their journey began with a case study focused on a fictional energy policy debate in Arizona. Acting as a media agency, they were tasked with designing a comprehensive campaign to support “Energy Freedom First”—a mock organization advocating for an “all-of-the-above” energy approach.
Their campaign involved detailed audience segmentation, regional analysis, integrated media strategy, and an evaluation plan—all crafted under a strict $1 million budget constraint. After advancing through the initial and semifinal rounds, the team was selected as national finalists and flown to Washington, D.C., to present their final strategy to a panel of industry professionals.
“Everything came together as the perfect capstone to all of our marketing coursework,” Safi shared. “We applied skills from every major class, and it was incredibly meaningful to collaborate with the professors we had learned from over the years.”
Faculty Mentorship and Team Collaboration
The team was mentored throughout the competition by Professor Kierstin Stickney, whose continued support for marketing students and AMA members was pivotal to their success.
“We’re so grateful for Professor Stickney,” Safi said. “Her guidance—along with advice from Dr. Hieu Nguyen and Professor Ken Miller—was critical in helping us shape a strategy that stood out at the national level.” This collaborative spirit among faculty and students embodies CSULB’s commitment to experiential learning and academic excellence.
Safi was also recognized as one of the Outstanding Marketing Graduates of Spring 2025, a testament to his dedication both inside and outside the classroom.
Reflections and Advice for Future Students
Despite the high stakes, Safi and Davis approached the competition with determination and openness to learning. One of their biggest challenges was representing a viewpoint they didn’t personally agree with. “We had to step into the shoes of a real agency,” Safi said, “and focus on the client’s needs, not our own opinions. That critical thinking pushed us to grow.”
Safi encourages current students to be proactive and take advantage of every opportunity:
“I didn’t know Davis very well before we teamed up—we just sat next to each other in Marketing Research. But I saw his work ethic, and that turned out to be the start of a great partnership. Also, don’t underestimate office hours—our professors truly want to help if you just reach out.”
Looking Ahead
For Safi, the $5,000 prize offers more than just recognition—it provides real financial flexibility.
“With the help of this scholarship and others, I was fortunate to graduate debt-free. I plan to save the money to support future academic or professional opportunities, whether that’s grad school, relocation, or further development. It’s a huge relief as I start my post-grad life.”
Celebrating Student Achievement
The Marketing Department proudly celebrates the accomplishments of Davis and Safi, whose performance on a national stage showcases the excellence of CSULB’s marketing program. Their victory in the Washington Media Scholars Case Competition is a testament to the talent, hard work, and community within the CSULB Marketing Department.
More about Washington Media Scholars
Washington Media Scholars Foundation Announces 2025 Competition Winners - Washington Media Scholars
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Questions and Answers from Safi Mahmood,
I discovered the Washington Media Scholars Case Competition through my network on LinkedIn. I looked into the competition and realized it was a perfect match for my background. At the time, I had interned with the City of Long Beach, and I was also a former media planning intern at Spark Foundry. The competition was a unique chance to use both of my previous experiences in both government and strategic media planning. It felt like the perfect chance to apply everything I had learned so far.
The case was based around a fictional energy policy debate in Arizona, where we acted as a media agency tasked with building a comprehensive marketing and media plan for a mock client. We chose to represent Energy Freedom First, a group advocating for an “all-of-the-above” energy approach and opposing forced clean energy mandates. After an initial qualifying round where I teamed up with Davis Abog, we advanced to the semifinals where we submitted a full strategic brief. From there, we were selected as finalists and flown to Washington, D.C. to pitch our campaign to a panel of industry judges and our mock client.
Our campaign involved identifying key demographics and psychographics in Arizona, especially focusing on regions and populations most impacted by the proposed energy mandate, as well as those most likely to influence others. We developed an integrated media strategy within a $1MM budget, complete with timing, channels, calls to action, and performance metrics.
One of the most interesting challenges was deciding to play “devil’s advocate” and represent the side of the issue we didn’t necessarily personally align with. That pushed us to think critically and stay objective. We constantly reminded ourselves that as an agency, our job isn’t to take sides, it’s to understand the client’s goals and effectively reach their audience.
Another challenge was just that we weren’t sure if we were making the right strategic choices. We overcame that by proactively seeking help, and we talked with several professors that gave us the help we needed. Dr. Hieu Nguyen, Professor Kierstin Stickney, and Professor Ken Miller all gave us unique perspectives that strengthened our final plan. We also had help from mentors currently within the media industry, which also was so helpful in creating our plans.
The most rewarding part was how everything came together, and how it really felt like the perfect capstone to all of my coursework and professional experience. We applied skills from every major marketing class we’ve taken, and it was especially meaningful to work with professors we had learned from in the past. And of course, presenting in D.C. to real industry leaders, getting their feedback, and winning the competition made the entire experience unforgettable.
I would highly suggest getting involved in programs (inside or outside of the University) and getting to know your classmates and professors. I didn’t know Davis, my teammate, very well before this competition; we just happened to sit next to each other in a marketing research class. But I had seen his work ethic, and it turned out to be a great partnership. Also, I would bet that many students don’t go to office hours, but every professor offers it! I had never gone to office hours before this competition, but it was incredibly helpful and everyone genuinely is so willing to help if you just ask. And so my greatest advice would really be to be proactive and seek out opportunities for growth wherever you can.
I’m incredibly grateful to say that this scholarship, combined with others I’ve received, has helped cover my college tuition entirely, and so I’ve never had to pay out of pocket. I plan to save the money to support future career or academic opportunities, whether that’s for grad school, relocation for a job, or professional development. It’s a huge financial relief and gives me peace of mind as I look toward post-g
