This blog was originally posted on Chatham Views on March 11, 2016.
Lynzy Groves ’16 is one of two recipients of the Collegiate American Marketing Association’s Social Impact Scholarship Award. She will receive $5000 toward her 2016-17 tuition.
An active member of the Chatham Marketing Association (CMA), Lynzy serves as Vice-President of Community Impact, a CMA position that provides leadership, planning, and marketing know-how to guide the club in all of its social outreach activities. For the past two years, CMA has participated in the “Young Art” fair, an event that raises awareness and funds for The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s Free Care Fund. Each year, Lynzy planned the format, developed relationships with Hospital staff, collected artwork from students on Chatham’s campus, developed promotional materials, identified and collected silent auction items, and organized and set up the venue.
As President of Chatham’s Relay For Life organization, Lynzy recruits staff, sets goals, coordinates fundraising efforts, conducts community and sponsorship outreach, and designs event promotions and communications. Last year, she interned with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). She did cold calling, mass mailings, volunteer coordination, auction item and donation solicitation, and constructing and sending pre and post-event press releases.
“The best part of Lynzy’s leadership in this role is her ability to motivate and inspire others to make a commitment and stick with it, despite difficulties with competing priorities and finite resources. Her positive attitude is an inspiration to everyone she touches, making involvement in the program rewarding in of itself,”
— Professor Deborah DeLong, PhD.
Where are you from?
Chicora, PA. It’s a very very small town, about an hour and a half from Pittsburgh.
Why did you decide to come to Chatham?
My mom went to graduate school in Pittsburgh, and told me that she thought I would love Chatham. And then the first time I stepped on campus, I thought this is the place I need to be. It felt like home.
I don’t think I would have had as many opportunities anywhere else, such a small school, individualized attention, really fosters your growth as a person. I’m not the same person I was freshman year.
What course or courses have been most meaningful to you here?Well, I started as an art major, but quickly realized I didn’t want that to be my job, so after freshman year, I started exploring other interests. I took Principles of Marketing with Dr. DeLong, and just fell in love with how it unites the social aspect of business with numbers and creativity. I always knew I wanted to do something that gave back to people, and I thought marketing could be a way I could do that.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
I try to focus my marketing skills on the social impact area. I love working with non-profits, especially when I can see firsthand how they give back to the community. I like being able to use my marketing skills to create events and promote them and unite people in the spirit of giving back.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m a big music fan; it’s my relaxation. I DJ for birthday parties and things like that. And I still love drawing. I have a minor in graphic design, and I design posters that you might see around campus, especially when it’s time for the Relay for Life.
What do you think you’d like to do after you graduate?
I’m definitely going to go into the nonprofit world. Money isn’t a priority; I want to make sure my work means something to someone. I intend to always have purpose behind my work.
This year, for the second time since 2010, Chatham’s CMA is a finalist in the AMA’s International Collegiate Case Competition. The challenge was to devise a new strategy and tactical marketing program for the Hershey Company’s Ice Breakers brand. CMA students will present their case solution to senior management of The Hershey Company in the finals round held at the collegiate conference in New Orleans in March.
