Gold Team 2009


The CNU student team worked diligently on the marketing campaign for Scholastic in this year's Collegiate MAXI challenge.  They were thrilled to be selected the Gold Collegiate MAXI winners" says Dr. Spiller, Professor of Marketing and Team Faculty Advisor. (l to r) Maygon Sowder, Laura Thompson, Dr. Lisa Spiller, Abby Lillis, Megan Miles




Collegiate MAXI 2009 Competition Winners
by Marilyn Liebrenz-Himes


Christopher Newport University’s students won the DMAW~EF’s Collegiate Maxi 2009 Competition’s Gold Award again this year. The 2009 challenge, sponsored by Scholastic Inc., required student teams to create a marketing plan incorporating both direct and interactive distribution channels that increase awareness for Study Jams!, an elementary school online program.

“This team’s marketing plan was far and away the most impressive one from a wide range of great entries this year,” stated Pat Silver, president of Silver Marketing Inc., who headed the judging team for 2009. “They had extensive research as well as unique creativity.”

The CNU team also received the award for Creative Excellence. The Silver and Bronze Awards were both won by student teams from The George Washington University. The Gold team members, with faculty advisor Professor Lisa Spiller, received their award during the DMAW summer Bridge Conference at a special Leadership Circle luncheon. Hosted by Mike O’Hara and the DMAW~EF, the team was treated royally throughout the conference. Traditionally, the Gold Award winning team receives a complimentary trip to the Annual DMAW summer conference.

“The CNU student team worked diligently on the marketing campaign for Scholastic in this year’s Collegiate MAXI challenge. They were thrilled to be selected as the Gold Collegiate MAXI winners,” noted Dr. Spiller, keynote speaker at the luncheon.

The Collegiate Maxi Competition is an annual challenge offered to professors throughout the mid-Atlantic region by the DMAW~EF. The topic of the Collegiate Maxi competition mirrors the challenge offered by the national Direct Marketing Education Foundation’s Collegiate Echo/Interactive Competition. Both the Collegiate Echo and the Collegiate Maxi competitions follow the same rules and time frame, although entries to each competition are judged independently. Thus it is possible for a team to win double prizes for the same exact entries, by entering both competitions.

The DMEF has just announced that Microsoft’s BING will be the sponsor for the upcoming 2010 collegiate Echo/Interactive Challenge. Details of the 2010 competition are available through the DMEF’s Directworks website. These competitions have been gaining increased prominence and involvement by universities and colleges throughout the country. The tight job market and increased emphasis on experience has resulted in a growing involvement in competitions that are solidly based on real-world situations.



2009 Winning teams are as follows:

GOLD: Christopher Newport University
Dr. Lisa Spiller, Faculty Advisor
Student Team: Abigail Lillis, Megan Miles, Maygon Sowder, Laura Thompson


SILVER: The George Washington University
Marilyn Liebrenz-Himes, Faculty Advisor
Student Team: Erica Lee, Jillian Rowe, Deena Tauster

BRONZE: The George Washington University
Marilyn Liebrenz-Himes, Faculty Advisor
Student Team: Jenna Chekofsky, Natalia Estrada, Lauren Keubler, Marissa Yoss