Profile: Dr. Jennifer Barhorst
By Nicholas Deitz
Jennifer Barhorst has come a long way in her teaching career, from studying marketing in college, to earning her PhD. In social media marketing from the University of Strathglyde, in Scotland. She now has the chance to spread her love of digital marketing with the students at Lander University.
“This is the first semester we have offered it here at Lander,” Barhorst said. She also commented that the new subject was a growth area for Lander. It certainly is not an easy course she added.
Barhorst requires her students to get certified in Google and Hubspot, which are major sources of digital marketing. “I want to set my students up for success,” she added.
Seventeen students signed up this semester.. Barbara Wheeling, Dean of the College of Business, said that she believes there is a demand for people in digital marketing, and she hopes to grow the class into a certificate program or a minor in the next few years. Recently, 13 students transferred into the Marketing/Management program, and the number of students from Spring 2017 to Fall 2017 grew rapidly.
Barhorst also mentioned that digital and social media marketing is a growing field, and it will continue to grow, and will likely grow higher in the salary rankings of business related jobs.
“Technology is welcomed – cell phones, computers, tablets – they are all used in the class. We like to make it fun and enjoyable,” concluded Barhorst.
