From Classroom Concept to Regional Campaign: Advertising Students See Their Work on St. Louis Billboards
If you’re driving around the St. Charles and St. Louis area and spot a Lindenwood University billboard, there’s a good chance it was created by a Lindenwood student.
During the fall semester, students in Professor Kristy “Tucc” Tucciarone’s Advertising course were tasked with developing a full-scale marketing campaign for the University as part of a class project. What began as a classroom assignment quickly turned into a real-world opportunity when one group’s concept stood out to the University’s Marketing team.
Their campaign moved from pitch deck to production and is now live across the region.
Real-World Experience in the Advertising Classroom
In the Advertising and Public Relations program, students don’t just learn theory. They apply it. Through client-based projects, campaign development, and creative execution, students gain hands-on experience that prepares them for careers in advertising, branding, digital marketing, and strategic communications.

For this project, students were challenged to:
- Develop a cohesive campaign concept
- Create billboard-ready creative
- Pitch their work to marketing professionals
- Respond to feedback and refine their ideas
After presenting their campaign to Lindenwood’s Marketing department, one group’s billboard designs rose to the top.
The result? A student-created campaign displayed across the St. Louis region.
Seeing Hard Work Come to Life

For Cye Ham, a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration with minors in Sport Management and Marketing, the experience was unforgettable.
“It is such an amazing feeling seeing a project I worked so hard on come to life and be actually used as a marketing campaign! I am so proud of myself and my group for what we created and can’t wait to carry the skills I learned from this campaign into my professional career!”
The selected team included Cye Ham, Sarah Korte, Cody Lane, and Morgan VerDught. Their achievement reflects the kind of career-ready, portfolio-building work that defines the student experience within the Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship.
A Collaboration Between Students and Professionals
For Lindenwood’s Marketing team, this collaboration wasn’t just a class project, but a chance to partner directly with the next generation of creative professionals.
Alley Bardon, Assistant Vice President of Marketing at Lindenwood University, shared:
“It’s genuinely a joy to work with our marketing students. They bring fresh ideas, different perspectives, and a kind of creative energy that pushes all of us to think bigger. Watching them grow while they challenge us to grow too is such a rewarding experience.”
Brad Hansen, Creative Director at Lindenwood University, reflected on the significance of the moment:
“As a design student years ago, I always dreamed of seeing my work on a billboard. Being able to offer that platform to a Lindenwood Marketing student and seeing their own creative displayed is just as rewarding as my own dream coming true. I am continually amazed and inspired by the unique perspectives our students bring to our marketing efforts.”
This collaboration highlights the power of experiential learning. Students were not creating hypothetical work. They were creating work that would represent the university in a highly visible, professional setting.
Career-Ready Learning at Lindenwood
Experiences like this are central to Lindenwood’s approach to education. Across programs in the Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship, students gain hands-on opportunities that mirror industry expectations.

Through projects like this, students develop:
- Strategic thinking
- Client presentation skills
- Creative direction and design execution
- Collaboration and professional communication
- Confidence in pitching and defending their ideas
For students in the Advertising and Public Relations program, these experiences help build professional portfolios before graduation. Seeing your work live in a regional campaign is truly a resume-defining moment.
Turning Ideas into Impact
What began as a semester project became a real marketing campaign seen by thousands across the region. It’s a powerful reminder of what happens when creativity, collaboration, and opportunity intersect.
At Lindenwood University, students are not waiting until after graduation to make an impact. They are doing it now.
Interested in building campaigns that move beyond the classroom? Explore the Advertising and Public Relations program, the Bachelor’s in Business Administration, and other programs within the Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship to see how Lindenwood prepares students for careers in marketing, advertising, and beyond.












