The Center for Digital Engagement is currently in soft launch with full launch expected in late 2014 to early 2015. The idea for the CDE started with The Search Marketing Workshop. In its fourth year, The Workshop has doubled attendance since its inception and is attracting high profile speakers from the world of digital marketing and communications. In 2014, The Workshop will be fortunate to have both Mary Henige, Director of Social Media and Digital Communications for General Motors and Chad Wiebesick, Director of Social Media and Interactive Marketing for the Pure Michigan Campaign as keynote speaks.
In many ways, the goal of the CDE is simply to provide more continuous outreach of the type the EMU community does each year with The Search Marketing Workshop. Our intent is that the CDE’s year round presence allow for more and deeper collaboration with business and community partners.
To this end, we are prioritizing the following activities to take place upon full launch:
- The recruitment of an executive in residence. Our first executive in residence will act as a point of contact with “movers and the shakers” in the digital marketing community, act as a mentor to students, and a resource to faculty in their teaching and research. The executive in residence appointment is for 1 to 2 semesters, and we have a number of potential executives to fill the role. Our goal ultimately is to create a community of current and former executives in residence who can act as a continuing resource for us.
- The launch of a marquee speaker series open to the business community. The goal of the speaker series is to bring both our external and internal communities up to date on emerging issues in digital engagement. We expect to draw on notable people in Michigan and across the country.
- The potential launch of a student run clinic to help local businesses enhance their online marketing efforts and business strategies. Upon full launch of the center, we expect to actively explore the forms this clinic might take with the potential of a pilot project in Summer 2015.