NEWS OF NOTE

Marketing students present "The Chevrolet Getaway" to promote the new Cobalt.

Thirty-five students in Tim Dugan Birritella 's General Motors Marketing Internship course created "The Chevrolet Getaway," a beach and dunk-tank themed event which took place on April 1st near the Graham Center to convey to fellow-students that the Chevrolet Cobalt is "a great car to use when you just want to get away for a break."

"All the activities at the event-including food, prizes, and giveaways-resulted from students' solicitations in order to make the event a powerful one for General Motors," Birritella said.

He added that students selected a "team" on which to work at the start of the semester-advertising, public relations, campaign development, or research.

Universities around the country participate in the General Motors Marketing Internship (GMMIP) program. Each university team is required to design and implement a promotional campaign for a local dealer. General Motors allocates thousands of dollars to this program, Birritella said, providing students with the opportunity to learn how to conduct promotion management in the "real world" and giving General Motors the benefits that result from their efforts.

"Our connection with this program, Edventure Partners (the liaison between GM and the schools) assigned us to Maroone Chevrolet of Miami," Birritella said. "Interestingly, the son of our client, Frank Fernandez of Maroone Chevrolet of Miami, is in our class."