As an Assistant Professor of Marketing and the Director of the IMC Center at Canisius University, Professor Mary Owusu has shaped her career with bold decisions and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. She stands out as a trailblazer who seamlessly blends innovation, mentorship, and entrepreneurship.
“When we witness users doing outstanding, heartwarming, or exemplary work in education using our courseware, we believe recognition is in order,” said Devin Dalling, one of Stukent’s Customer Support Managers. “It stood out to me the way [Professor Owusu was] willing to advocate for [her] students who were unable to purchase a license. I believe looking out for each student who walks through your classroom door, especially those in underprivileged situations, is a striking reminder of why we do what we do.”
In recognition of her compassion for her students, Professor Owusu has been named Stukent’s Professor of the Month for September 2023!
In 2019, Professor Owusu made a significant pivot, leaving behind the corporate grind to embark on a new adventure in academia. This decision allowed her to forge deeper connections with her students, provide valuable mentorship, and play a pivotal role in molding the marketers of tomorrow.
“This bold move allowed me the flexibility to connect more deeply with my students, provide more mentorship, and help create the next generation of digitally savvy marketing professionals,” Professor Owusu said. “Sometimes, it’s less about climbing the corporate ladder and more about building your own.”
Professor Owusu also ventured into entrepreneurship, establishing SprintMarketer.com and SEOSprints.com. These enterprises specialize in search engine optimization (SEO) and SALES engine optimization, delivering rapid and substantial boosts in awareness, traffic, and sales for small and medium-sized businesses reliant on lead generation. In a field where SEO is often seen as a slow-burning strategy, Professor Owusu’s innovative approach generates multiple 5- to 7-figure revenue pipelines for businesses in weeks. Her entrepreneurial spirit keeps her at the forefront of marketing trends, allowing her to seamlessly integrate real-world insights into her classroom teachings.
As an educator, Professor Owusu uses Stukent’s courseware and simulations to equip her students with practical knowledge and hands-on experience. She uses resources such as the Digital Marketing Bundle, Essentials of Social Media Marketing Bundle, Modern Marketing Principles Bundle, and the Digital Marketing Analytics Bundle.
Her teaching philosophy revolves around the mantra that application is everything. Professor Owusu believes in immersing her students in real-world scenarios. For instance, when teaching SEO, students create SEO-optimized blog posts on her platform, SearchVersity.com. Web design lessons translate into students building websites and applying design best practices, while analytics lessons culminate in the creation of landing pages, tagging them, and analyzing their performance. While time-consuming, these immersive projects provide students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills that prepare them for the marketing world.
She also dedicates a day at the end of each semester to help her students curate their learnings into a portfolio. This ensures that her students have a tangible, interview-ready showcase of their work before the frenzy of finals and graduation.
Additionally, she extends her reach by guest lecturing at other universities. This not only allows her to share her expertise but also enables her to learn from fellow marketing professors at different institutions.
“This is a great way to learn from fellow marketing professors at other institutions while also educating students I otherwise would have never met,” Professor Owusu said. “Connecting with others this way is fulfilling to network in this field. This is why I love speaking at and attending Profcon and other Stukent events. The connection is fire!”
Each month, Stukent highlights a standout higher education instructor. Those selected use Stukent products in the classroom and exemplify Stukent’s core values and mission to help educators help students help the world. To learn about Stukent’s first-in-the-world Simternships™ and courseware and to get FREE instructor access to Stukent materials, visit Stukent’s website.
