Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Hump Day


Hump Day at TLU

Khari Clarkson and Darren Jones

 Along with reviving the campus life for students who live on campus here at TLU we plan to bring an inviting environment for those students who commute here as well. We want to utilize the beautiful space we have for more than just a venue for graduations.



Stakeholders:

Students- We asked students the same 4 different questions around campus such as:

What would they like to see more on campus?(not bringing up humpday) Most upperclassmen wanting more things for commuters to do while here instead of just wasting time in the ASC. Majority of underclassmen speaking on more food options to choose from other then Hein and Wow Cafe.

Would you like to have a hump day here on campus at TLU? Responses either not knowing what it is at all or saying it would be a great add on to the university and bringing up their peers good experiences of hump day at other universities.

What activities would you like on campus for hump day? Live Music, Celebration for birthdays that week, food other than hein and wow cafe, if not food brought on campus special food that day, small carnival games, basketball/volleyball tournaments after all classes, spirit days on wednesday’s of hump day wearing TLU clothing and accessories.

Would you show loyal attendance? If everyone else shows attendance and hump day continues to do good I would show loyal attendance as well. (Thomas Howard, Freshman)



Investments:

For example

Chick-Fil-A Catering

Nugget Tray Delivery - 200 Pc. = $87.00

10 of the 200 Pc. Nugget Trays would cost $870.00

Waffle Potato Chips - 1 serving = $1.55

Handing out free 8 piece nuggets and a fry to the students that choose to eat the Chic-fil-a we offer that day

Advertisement:

Staff we asked questions:

Brenda Wahle from Student Activities Center

About how much would it be to host a event on campus? It would matter on who is coming to host the event and if they are an organization. If an organization on campus free of cost.

How much is it to advertise around school? Advertising being free just having small paper flyers and notifications around tlu and the dog house

Cost of entertainment? Most entertainment being free using all of TLU supplies such as speakers, tables, courts, etc.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

CollegeCrate Research Report


*NOTE: CollegeCrate is an online subscription of mailed care packages to college students. The packages can vary in themes from forgotten essentials (toiletries, snacks, etc) to finals week to a breakup box with items sure to be the perfect fix to any college student’s need. The startup company, while an online based service, found success by marketing specifically to the Texas State Campus last year

TLU CollegeCrate Preliminary Research Report
            With the success of New Braunfels based startup CollegeCrate on the Texas State Campus, the company has approached our firm to form a plan to market to the students of Texas Lutheran University. With over 10,000 current subscribers (roughly 25-30%) on the San Marcos campus, the company has proven to be staple of college life and CollegeCrate is confident that a transition to TLU would be equally successful.
            While TLU is a substantially smaller campus and would seem to be an easier market to target, we recognize that the campus has many differences and diverse qualities that require special attention to specifics. We have done thorough demographic research, as well as looked at trends for students, and have conducted on campus interviews with TLU directors in order to get the best information before a specific plan in formulated. In order to understand how each point impacts the greater mission of marketing to the students of TLU, we are starting off our report with a SWOT analysis to determine the key Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that face CollegeCrate at TLU. Taking this analysis, we can then incorporate our research on the key stakeholders and address the primary obstacles and potential issues we may face in order to develop an effective PR plan.
Strengths:
·         CollegeCrate has specifically tailored services designed to meet the needs of college students.
·         Customizable packages allow for guaranteed satisfaction.
·         Unique business plan. In the beginning stages of their growth, CollegeCrate individually markets to college campuses in order to gain a strong, concentrated customer base.
·         Low prices, online format and relationship with Texas State allows for growth.
Focus: The college students.
According to the TLU registrar office, Texas Lutheran University had 1,336 students on campus in 2017. This provides a limited, but specific target market. The campus is diverse, greatly exceeding the national campus diversity averages in both gender and ethnicity.
A study on college student shopping habits showed that 78% plan to shop for school supplies online. A follow up result showed that 98% of students have shopped online in the past 30 days. This shows that online shopping is a huge part of college life and CollegeCrate would be a perfect way to combine essentials and luxury items into an accessible, delivered package.
Another stakeholder to note would be the parents of college students. While many student themselves are going to love ordering subscriptions and customizing their own CollegeCrates, some may not be able to afford it all the time. This is where parents come into play. Parents of students will want to help provide for their children while they are away at school and ordering a care package subscription is a thoughtful way to show they care. Additional studies show that over 60% of parents financially support their adult children. CollegeCrate is an affordable way to take care of a loved one.
Weaknesses:
·         CollegeCrate currently has no relationship with TLU
·         Online based operation gives CollegeCrate no presence on campus.
Focus: TLU relationship
It is essential to approach the PR technique with something to offer TLU. A perfect example would be to sponsor campus events such as Spring Fling or a Game Night. Paying a relatively small amount to cover the costs will strengthen ties with the University and be used as an advertising tactic.
Opportunities:
·         Online format is an opportunity for growth/flexibility
Focus: Partnerships with Bookstore
Partnering with the TLU bookstore (a 3rd party entity itself) by selling basic CollegeCrates instore will give the bookstore the profits from the marked up items and give a relatively physical presence to the CollegeCrate items. Students who buy the items and like them can then go online to find customizable options and monthly subscription plans at a cheaper price. 
Threats:
·         TLU Student Life/Residence Life may reject our offer due to potential encouragement of students staying on campus for everything
·         Competition-Other dining options and Bookstore may not be receptive to a new business offering a multitude of products to students.
Focus: Residence Life
After interviewing members of the TLU Offices, we found that in fact, many are receptive to the idea of CollegeCrate on campus. They think it won’t be such a competitive point for dining services and the previously mentioned partnership with the bookstore would alleviate any competition. They are actually interested in the prospect of having such a previously successful (Texas State) innovation on TLU grounds.

Future Plans (Details at a later date):
Advertise with TLU (emails, TLU residence life ad, etc.)
Bookstore Partnership (sell basic, marked up Crates that get students exposed to the product)
Sponsor TLU on-campus events- Spring Fling - Bingo Night - Game Night - Movie night (The prizes would be CollegeCrates.
Freshman Needs List Advertisement to both parents and students.

Sources:

Krusty Krab Research Report


Research Report: Initiative for Krusty Krab in Austin, Texas
Elysia Perkins, Hunter Cross, Caleb Calderon, Ally Ener & McKenzie Sells

Situation Analysis:
The Krusty Krab Restaurant’s intended environment is Central Texas in the downtown Austin area--specifically on South Congress Street. We have to get appropriate licensing from Nickelodeon to use the Spongebob Squarepants patent, persuade a large enough investment from Nickelodeon to build the restaurant, garner enough media exposure to entice enough customers, and make the Krusty Krab a restaurant to which people in Austin and abroad would actually go (ideally more than once).

Main Stakeholders:
Stakeholders and publics include: the media, Spongebob fans, Nickelodeon, our chosen contracting company (still under evaluation), the City of Austin, other Austin restaurants, Austin families, UT students, food suppliers, children and families in Texas and abroad, the media, and the community of Austin/its population. Of these stakeholders, we feel the largest amount of time and resources should be spent catering to Nickelodeon, the media, children and families, and the population of Austin.


Addressing Nickelodeon:
Pitch and Benefits of Restaurant: The most formidable stakeholder for the Krusty Krab Restaurant is Nickelodeon. In order for this restaurant to even exist, Nickelodeon must become an investor and award the respective permissions to the Krusty Krab. Our pitch to Nickelodeon should include the benefits of this business residing in Austin. Austin’s large population and high net migration make it an advantageous location for the Krusty Krab. In the Austin metro area alone, the population surpassed 2 million people in 2015. Austin was ranked first among 50 largest U.S. metros based on net migration. The population of the city itself is 947,890. In addition to the sheer amount of people living and entering Austin daily, Austin’s atmosphere as a fun and pioneering city as well as its location in Central Texas makes it a prime spot for the restaurant.
 Investment: Additionally, the building of the Krusty Krab relies heavily on the amount invested by Nickelodeon. In order to get a better idea of how much we may need, our team found that Nickelodeon invested $15,000,000 into Super League Gaming in 2017. This was a gaming convention. They also invested $30,000,000 in Dreamscape Immersive in 2017. Dreamscape Immersive was a theme park. We feel that an investment at around $15,000,000 would be ample and reasonable.

Utilizing Media and Reaching Families:
Commercial Request: We suggest getting the word out via Nickelodeon’s social media and putting commercials on Nickelodeon. A commercial on this cable channel would reach millions of people, as Nickelodeon is remains the third most-watched cable channel, just behind Fox and MSNBC. Additionally, Spongebob Squarepants has reigned in the top 5 most-watched television shows for years. The most recent episode, which aired on April 13th, got 1.23 million views. If a commercial were to be aired on Nickelodeon, especially during episodes of Spongebob, the commercial would receive an extremely wide audience. In addition to using commercials, we suggest putting up flyers in and around Austin, and getting a billboard ad off of a few major highways leading into Austin. The content of all programs, ads, etc. should include promotional content for a Krusty Krab in Austin, Texas. The commercial would detail the same information, that it’s coming soon, family friendly, etc.

Other Stakeholders/Potential Needs:
Contractors: As far as our contractor goes, a few possible Austin-area contractors we are considering include Franklin Alan, Wurzel Builders, G Creek Construction, and Pinnacle Construction. These contractors have built high-quality restaurants in the past, so choosing any of them would likely be a good option.
Other Austin Restaurants: Other Austin restaurants may find that the Krusty Krab poses a threat to small businesses by creating a large amount of competition. Within Austin, there are thousands of businesses, and the addition of an attraction such as the Krusty Krab surely will not negatively affect the small business consumer atmosphere of Austin.
UT Students: Most young adults in college right now experienced the peak of Spongebob Squarepants popularity on Nickelodeon. Those who like Spongebob, and those who may not even like Spongebob at all, will surely see the media coverage and want to go to the restaurant considering how close and accessible it will be to them. We could also advertise to these students directly on campus through the use of posters.

Sources
Autsinchamber.com
United States Census
Index.co/company/nickelodeontv/investments
tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/saturday/cable-ratings-june-17-2017/
Statista.com
Adage.com - Nickelodeon

Taco Cabana Research Report


Andrew Lueker, Anna Trevino, Carly Barnes
Spencer Bierschwale, and Mary Hubert

Taco Cabana Stakeholders

Main Stakeholders:


Campus Auxiliary (15% of our resources will go towards the Campus Auxiliary)
Why are they important- The TLU campus auxiliary is important because they have to approve of the dining option before it can go in front of the students.
How much do they care- The mission of Campus Auxiliary is to honor God by providing the students, faculty, staff, and administration with the goods and services they need to accomplish their academic and departmental goals, while maintaining good stewardship of the university’s resources.
How are we going to address them- In our proposal we plan on showing the campus auxiliary and Sodexo management all of the benefits of bringing in a chain restaurant such as Taco Cabana. Once the proposal is approved we will move forward and work towards reaching out to the students.


Screenshot of an online interview with Kyle Wych:


Students (15% of our resources will go towards the students)
Why are they important- The students of TLU are the primary consumers of food on campus, meaning they will be the vast majority of clientele for the new Taco Cabana.
How much do they care- Students would like to see a change in the hours for the current on campus dining. Some of the on campus dining options have limited hours and can be hard to meet for some students. By bringing in Taco Cabana it will be open 24 hours which will allow students to grab food whenever they want. This will also help students who are doing late night studying. Instead of having to go off campus to get food somewhere, they will have an on campus dining option.  Students also want more diversity in their options, so adding more ethnic food will satisfy that. (“Top Trends in College Food Service.” Nestlé Professional, 16 June 2015, www.nestleprofessional.us/trends/top-trends-college-food-service. There is a rising demand for more ethnic food options in campus dining, therefore tacos and other Tex-Mex items would probably be wanted more than burgers, pizza, etc.)
How are we going to address them- Some students that pay for their own tuition may not be happy that it will be going up if this Taco Cabana is implemented, but the 24-Hour service as well as possible alcoholic options should appeal to the students of TLU.











Parents (10% of our resources will go towards the parents)
Why are they important- Many parents pay for their son/daughter’s tuition which will be the primary way in which this Taco Cabana is funded. Parents may also be concerned about tuition rising if the TC is implemented.
How much do they care- Parents of vegetarian students will most likely be happy that a primary need for their child is being addressed. It will also be convenient for parents who are visiting their children on campus and need something to eat. This also eliminates some safety concerns for their children. Students won’t need to drive off campus for a late night snack while studying and by serving alcohol on campus it will eliminate some drinking and driving.
How are we going to address them- It may be a harder sell to parents as their wallets are being directly affected, but parents will understand the necessity of late night dining on campus and having a variety. Parents may also be concerned of the decision to serve alcohol on campus, but measures will be taken to ensure that alcohol does not fall into the hands of underage drinkers, as no alcohol will be allowed outside of the restaurant. (O'Rourke, Ciara. “State Sen. Jeff Wentworth Says Texas Universities Don't Have Bars on Campus Because It's against the Law.” Politifact, Poynter Institute, 26 Feb. 2011, www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2011/feb/26/jeff-wentworth/state-sen-jeff-wentworth-says-texas-universities-d/. Multiple universities around Texas serve alcohol on campus including Texas A&M, Texas State, UT Austin, and University of Texas at Dallas, which limits legal students to 2 drinks.)


Staff/ Faculty (9% of our resources will go towards the staff and faculty)
Why are they important- TLU staff and faculty are quintessential stakeholders. They make a daily difference through their work, interactions with others, teamwork, and willingness to volunteer when the need arises. The staff and faculty make TLU a special place and we want to make sure they’ll be happy with new improvements on campus. Based on our research the staff and faculty are looking for new dining options on campus and they’re not worried about alcohol being served on campus. Some faculty would like to see Taco Cabana in its own area so alcohol isn’t being served in general areas, but besides that there aren’t any major hesitations or concerns.
How much do they care- Although the staff and faculty are not the top stakeholder, they are still a main stakeholder. After conducting interviews with faculty we saw that the TLU staff and faculty are not as concerned about Taco Cabana coming to campus as some of the other stakeholders. During an interview with a faculty member the suggestion to serve alcohol in a separate area on campus was brought up and we plan on looking more into this.
How are we going to address them- Going forward we plan to address the staff and faculty by publicizing Taco Cabana coming to campus. By doing this we are hoping to excite the staff and faculty and get them ready for the new dining option on campus. To address the concern of a few of the faculty members, we also plan on looking into separate areas on campus to add the Taco Cabana restaurant.














































Media (9% of our resources will go towards media)
Why are they important- The media coverage of TLU’s decision to bring an alcohol serving Taco Cabana to campus is important because the media’s take on this decision will affect the community’s views and actions. It is important for those involved to create a positive media image so that this is conveyed to all viewers.
How much do they care- Most media outlets care about what people will read and buy. The media will care because bringing a chain restaurant that serves alcohol to a small campus is an unusual, but not an unheard of decision. The media will care because readers and viewers from the Seguin community, the TLU community, and the past and future TLU community will care.
How are we going to address them- We will focus on all of the benefits of bringing a Taco Cabana to the TLU campus. Most likely the media’s main focus will be on the fact that the restaurant will serve alcohol so we will first address this issue. We will stress the fact that this Taco Cabana will function as a legal and safe way for TLU students to consume alcohol. By emphasizing that it is both TLU’s and Taco Cabana’s policy to never provide minors with alcohol and to ID every purchaser of alcohol we will address the media’s concern of minors having access to and consuming alcohol. We will also focus on the idea that this Taco Cabana is on campus and so will hopefully decrease instances of driving after drinking and other accidents. We will show that by providing an on campus, convenient place to enjoy an alcoholic beverage all TLU students, and the Seguin community will be safer.

McGee, Kate. “UT Austin to Sell Alcohol at Longhorn Athletic Games Starting Friday.” KUT, 27 Feb. 2014, kut.org/post/ut-austin-sell-alcohol-longhorn-athletic-games-starting-friday.

Other Stakeholders (We plan on putting 6% of our resources into these stakeholders (42% total)):


A few of our other important stakeholders are:


Alumni - Though they are past students who now put their hard-earned money back into the institution, we don’t predict they will have a large negative response to adding a new food option. There may be feelings of jealousy as they might have wanted a Taco Cabana, but they would also support new students and what they want.
Taco Cabana - Since this is the company we are using for the new dining choice, there is no reason we need to make a public address to them to convince them of anything or relay any new information.
Lutheran Church - Having a Taco Cabana on campus does not make any political or religious statement, therefore we see no need to address the Church at this time.
Local Universities - Other universities are at least 30 minutes away from us and are not at risk of being in competition with us in terms of food offerings, so though we may consult them on how they serve alcohol safely to students, we will not address them as a stakeholder at this time.
AA Groups - We understand that making alcohol more readily available to students is a source of potential danger. We are not going to initially address the AA groups around us unless we become aware of a bigger threat including alcohol.
Seguin Community - As a university, we strive to involve ourselves with the Seguin community as much as possible, but at the same time, we are our own community too and we plan on welcoming any customers who live in Seguin even if they are not TLU students. If a resident has an issue with the options we give students, they should understand that they do not need to come back on campus and can go to the other Taco Cabana location in Seguin.
Vegetarians- Most vegetarian dining options are located off campus. Taco Cabana has several vegetarian options such as bowls, cheese quesadillas, burritos, and a variety of vegetarian taco options.


All of these stakeholders are important, but will not require as many resources put into them.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

S.M.A.R.T. University Business Plan

S.M.A.R.T. University

Special Minds Achieving Resource Training
Josie Coote, Matthew DeLeon, Kassandra Nieto, Kara Peterson

Executive Summary

S.M.A.R.T. University, which stands for Special Minds Achieving Resource Training, is a non-profit organization based in San Antonio aimed at changing the future for individuals with intellectual disabilities by providing vocational guidance through sensory training and personalized one-on-one education. S.M.A.R.T. University will be working in tandem with local businesses to find job placements for each individual paired specifically with their skill set.

Mission and Vision Statement
Our vision for our business is to create a community where individuals with intellectual disabilities and employers can successfully work together to benefit society. Our mission is to commit to every participant and to help them succeed to their full potential by utilizing their own skill set.
What is the Need?
In Texas alone, there are over six-hundred-thousand reported cases of adults with cognitive disabilities and 200,000 more including children. Bexar county (San Antonio) comprises 63,000 of those cases and as a county, it has the 4th largest amount of people with cognitive disabilities in Texas. Currently, 34% of those with intellectual disabilities are employed in the United States of America. Most often, the remaining 66% don’t even have a chance for employment. Clearly, action must be taken.
How are We Addressing it?
S.M.A.R.T. University will consist of one physical location with classrooms and work space to conduct our training. For the first half of our operation, we will employ professionals who have a passion in line with our mission to train our participants through sensory training and vocational guidance.
We will then work with local businesses in order to place our participants in secure jobs that match their skill set. We will have condensed training sessions with the future employer to make sure they are capable of adapting to a new employment situation and work with the businesses to help them attain their federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit for employment of individuals with disabilities. Once a participant is placed in a job, we will have regular follows ups with both the participant and the employer to ensure that the employment relationship is beneficial to both parties.
Funding
Our non profit will be a hybrid structure non-profit meaning that we will receive our funding from both outside sources (grants/contributions) and from our own revenues from the program. This enables our business to run as a self-sustainable operation if needed, but with outside funding it allows our rates to remain low for our customer base. We will apply for federal grants in order to start our business and then as we begin to earn revenue from our services we will be able to supplement. It will take about $95,000 to start the non-profit, and from then on it will then take $38,000 a year to run it. We will be applying to two main grants. The first grant we will apply for is the Enterline Foundation, which works with organizations that work with young adults with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities and awards $37,000. The second grant we will apply for is the The May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, which gives grants to organizations that work with people of all ability to better the community. This grants rewards grants from $30,000-$600,000.  These funds will help us to start out and secure a building, staff, and marketing strategy and sustain us for the first years of business (as we apply for grants each year).
The second part of our funding plan is our revenues from our operation itself. We charge an initial $500 fee per student as they begin with our program. This will cover their initial meetings with our team in order to assess the individual’s unique condition and abilities. Then our staff will formulate a training program specifically for the student. The student and their family will then determine at what intensity they want to participate in our program. Some may wish to be a full time student coming to our campus 5 days a week, others may want to come at their own speed once or twice a week for an hour or so. We understand that each individual is different and will have different preferences and so because of this instead of charging a bulk tuition cost, we charge at an hourly rate so that families can pick a plan that works best for them.
What sets us apart?
One of the strengths of our non-profit is that it differs from other organizations. While most local organizations such as Morgan’s Academy or the Center for Higher Independence focus on either the life skills aspect or job placement, we provide a combination of life skills training and vocational training in order to best meet all needs that our participants face. Another unique aspect of our business is that we also follow up with business and participants to ensure that the transitions into the workplace are going smoothly for both parties involved. This ensures longevity of employment and a more effective way to determine the success of our program.

Products, Programs and Services

Our business will work closely with primarily two groups: the intellectually disabled participants and the workforce. Our services for the participants include a baseline quiz; we want to first find out more about them and their history. This will also give us an assessment of their needs and skills. On this questionnaire, participants will be asked about their likes, dislikes, skills, strengths,weaknesses, and work history. After this assessment process, the participant will go through a quick physical with a nurse or doctor. We will then meet with the participant and their family to discuss services. We want this to be a very open experience and for the individual and family to be proactive in their services. From there, an Individualized Service Plan (ISP) will be developed. This plan will include when they need to come in, what they will be working on, and their specific goals in the timely manner that was set upon. To make sure the ISP is being followed, we will set up monthly meetings with the participant and their families to discuss the implementation of the ISP. We will discuss where they are and if they are progressing faster or slower than the timeline that was set up. We will also discuss feedback from the instructors so the participant knows how they are doing in the classroom and what can be improved on. After the meeting, we will discuss and update any changes that will need to be done to the ISP. 

During this time, we will teach them any basic skills they need for employment. They will be taught how to read, communicate, write a resume, and to use technology. The goal  is for them to not only be able to use these skills at a job but intheir everyday life. Once they master all the skills they need to learn, we will organize interviews with potential employers. An employee of S.M.A.R.T. will accompany them to the interview. Once the participant has landed the job, specific job training will start. It is important they feel really comfortable before they start their job. It is also imperative that they are trained properly. We will then set up a meeting with the manager and make another ISP with the employer and participant to set up goals and duties that should.be accomplished. After all these steps have been completed, there will a graduation to celebrate their accomplishments. If they leave their job, then they are more then welcome to come back to us for services to find them a new job or they can use the skills we taught them to find one on their own. The goal is for them to gain skills that will last them a lifetime and can help them in the future as well. 

Once they have graduated the program,  there will be follow up sessions with them to make sure they are adjusting fine and meeting the goals and expectations that was set in their ISP in the beginning. The first six months after they have graduated, sessions will be every two weeks. There will also be follow-up meeting with their employer. In this meeting we discuss where our participant is on the ISP, what they can improve and their accomplishments. We will then tell our participant what the employer discussed and where they are on the ISP. This will ensure that boths sides are happy and help determine what factors, if any, need improvement. After the first six months we will meet with the participant once a month. After the first year, meetings will occur quarterly. We believe that constant communication with them will help them succeed in the long run with their jobs.  

We will employ ten to fifteen teachers. These teachers will work hands on with our students to teach them the vocational training they need. We will have five social workers/ counselors. In this position, students will be divided amongst different counselors. These counselors are the ones who will have the monthly meetings, interviews, job training, and post interviews. We will have two job recruiters who will constantly be scouting for new job markets for our university to work with. We will have one doctor who will do the beginning physical for our students. There are also ten volunteer positions where they will assist the teachers and be under their supervision.
We have two schedules the students can follow. One is a half day, where you can go from 8 A.M to 12 P.M.  The other is a a full day where you can go from 8 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. This will be decided by your initial meeting with your counselor and part of the ISP. The counselor will also determine and state on the ISP  how many days a week a student attends. In these days, the students will be working on individual goals with sensory training. This will include different stations depending on the ISP. There will be resume writing stations, interview preps, and different skill based stations. There will be breaks throughout the day for students to eat and socialize. Breaks will be approximately every two hours but are subject to change with individuals needs. The days are subject to change for the students on a month to month basis depending how they are progressing according to the ISP.
The second part of the business will be to work with the local workforce. They are a huge part in what we do with our clients. We want to build a good relationship between the university and the different employers by working alongside with them, with consideration to any suggestions they have in mind. We will also actively work to pursue new relationships with potential business partners that we feel would benefit our participants. This a two way street so we plan on really being involved not only with the actual employer but with the businesses that partner with us.
Future Programs
We are starting our first program in San Antonio, Texas, but would like to eventually expand to the Houston, Austin, and Dallas areas. Our company would like to expand our programs to include participants from the local high schools. We would offer workshops for high school students where they are able to start and participate before they graduate high school. In this program, we will focus on social and life skills so when students graduate from high school,  they will be ready to move on to the University curriculum. In addition, our company would also like to implement a bilingual program in the future where we could include as many people as possible. After all, Spanish is the second most spoken language in not only Texas but also the United State as well. We want to provide our services and make them accessible to all who need them.
How are we making a change?
We will assist the community of people with intellectual disabilities to facilitate training so that they can find sustainable jobs. Our business would create a place for them to learn and grow in the skills that they already have as well as expanding and developing new skills. We believe this training and development can change their quality of life by helping them gain a sense of accomplishment in their everyday life. We are providing them a service that will get them an opportunity to be a part of a local community. This opportunity will also give the participants an equal chance to work which is a luxury most of us have.
Op-Ed
Jerry Roman, Contributor, April 5th, 2018
Joblessness and the Hidden Minority
In the United States, 76% of all adults are currently employed. However, if that scope is narrowed to adults living with a physical or cognitive disability, the number drops drastically to 35%. This startling comparison about unemployment raises many questions but the one addressed today is why the current government has not addressed such an incredibly low employment rate? With over 50 million citizens classified as disabled, how has such a large portion of the workforce remained untapped?        
The answer is certainly not a clear one, but there are several contributing factors to the issue. First off, many do not recognize this group of millions as a minority within our society. While many would think this to be a great step for the disabled to escape segregation because of their physical/mental condition, this is actually a hindrance of the success of these individuals. Individuals with a disability are generally willing and able to work a moderately normal job (given their specific mental or physical condition) but many people fail to recognize that their work environment does not foster a compatible employment option.        
To clarify, an individual’s only disability may be that they can’t walk but are perfectly able to work a desk job in an office. Their only obstacle? The physical location of their employment does not have a wheelchair ramp to reach the front door. Because of a single difference in an environment, that individual cannot be employed by the company.        
The same could be said of a mentally challenged adult who wants to work and interact with many different people. He wants to achieve this by bagging groceries at a local grocery store, but the training for the job assumes he can read at a high school level even if the job itself doesn’t require reading. This hinders him from ever gaining the job despite his willingness and physical capability. This mean that more awareness is needed to draw attention to the many differences of individuals who hope to enter the workforce. Once employers begin to see the disabled as a special minority that needs to be adapted to, there can finally be progress in how such individuals will find employment. To summarize, one of the main factors to such low employment rates of disabled adults is not due to their disinterest in finding employment, but rather the few work environments that can adapt to (generally) small differences in such individuals. Change must be made, but the “how” will have to vary. Just like every other human being, those with disabilities are unique, but no less deserving of a chance.
One aspect of the change being made in the status quo is S.M.A.R.T. University, a local non-profit institution, that is designed to specifically to train individuals who are motivated to get a job but simply lack the training or skills. S.M.A.R.T. University, located in San Antonio, works with students straight out of high school who have a variety of both cognitive and physical disabilities. This non profit hopes to provide a source of hope and possibilities for the local special needs community and will continue to help address the problems of unemployment for years to come.
Event Plan
Name: S.M.A.R.T University’s Wonderland Excursion!
Date: Saturday, April 27th 2019, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.
Location: 5223 David Edwards Drive, San Antonio, Texas, 78233.
Purpose: The purpose of SMART University is to help people with mental disabilities learn how to succeed in a career of their choice, but before that can happen, we must first draw new potential students in by conducting fun events such as this one. We must also keep our current student base, and so events like these won’t hurt. Need
The students of SMART and their immediate family will want to celebrate with our graduating class for this year while remaining safe, happy, and under budget. We also need to get our message out to more students o part of this event is aimed at welcoming and informing potential new students and their parents with information sessions and social activities.
Solution
We are going to Morgan’s Wonderland for one day. Our attendees will love our event because it brings family fun, food, and entertainment while promoting a local business and good cause.  
We will set up booths to represent our different programs and educate all guests on what we do at S.M.A R.T. University
Advantage
Our event has three primary advantages: it is fun for everyone, it costs relatively little, and it is easily accessible.
Unique Value proposition
The entire idea of Morgan’s Wonderland is that it’s an amusement park designed to fit 100% of people, not just 80% or 90%. There is almost no other amusement park in Texas or even the greater United States that does this.  It’s not everyday that an opportunity where people with disabilities can join with their families in a day of fun at an amusement park for less than $50!
Audience
Past, current, and future participants and their family and friends. Donors, and local businesses that we work with.  (For future members we will go to San Antonio school districts special need programs and group homes).
Channels
We will put out a press release to schools and parents, send a pitch letter to the San Antonio Express, and post flyers at schools, in the surrounding area of SMART, and to the local businesses. We will give out invitations to past and current participants. Local radio stations will promote on air. We will also engage with our audience with our social media presence.
Key Metrics
Ticket Sales and attendance.
Costs
Venue-$3,000 with discount from Morgan’s Wonderland.
Advertisement- $1,000
Entertainment- $1,000
Revenue
Admissions
Ticket for family and friends-$10 a ticket
Past, current, and potential participants- $5.00
Raffle tickets-$10.00
Each student / guest will be expected to provide their own transportation. The staff and faculty of SMART University will have arrived at 9:00 am on the 27th to ensure the various amenities are in place and ready to go, such as our guest passes, group markers, location trackers, informational booths, catering, sound system, etc. We will be buying out 15 acres of the 25 acre park and allow a free-roaming system coordinated by our head of event planning and sensory training teacher, Dr. Patrick Walsh.
Morgan’s Wonderland is not only a great venue, but is also a significant donor to SMART University, and has graciously provided our even with a great discount, allowing our event to only cost $3,000 dollars for the day, including the cost of meals, drinks, individual rides, etc. We will be setting up four information booths in the Tortuga Bay Pavillion right in the center of all the action so that our potential new students and their parents/loved ones can learn more about SMART University throughout the day. We will have an introductory booth to summarize the purpose and programs available at SMART, a sensory training booth to illustrate with examples some key teaching techniques employed by our head of sensory development, Dr. Tonya Gordon, an employment booth that showcases the stories from several SMART alumni who have succeeded in their newly gained jobs, and an admissions booth that walks the new potential students through the process of enrollment and what to expect out of the process.
We currently have one hundred students who are enrolled and are each allowed to bring three guests who must pay the guest price. We anticipate that six hundred people in total will attend our event, however we are prepared to handle up to nine hundred with the amount of food and space accounted for. We have forty staff members, and twenty unpaid volunteers who have already been working for SMART, to coordinate the event as it takes place.
Pitch Letter
To Bexar County ISD Special Education Program Directors:
We at S.M.A.R.T University are here to offer you a wonderful opportunity for your students! S.M.A.R.T. University, as you may know, is a non-profit organization specifically designed to be a follow up vocational training program for students after they finish high school. Our goal is to partner with the local schools in an effort to show students and their families the possibilities for their future after graduation.
We are presenting a fun filled day of activities that cater to the special needs of each and every one of your special education students. The event that we have to offer your students is an exciting day at Morgan’s Wonderland to celebrate our first year as a non-profit as well as to celebrate the alumni of our university. Not only do we want to celebrate our students, but we would also like to inform prospective new students of the wonderful things our organization does.
All of the games and entertainment at this event are specifically geared towards those of the special needs community. This event allows those that would normally not be able to participate with their families to finally enjoy their time at an amusement park with their families in a day of fun. This event is also a good opportunity for all of your hard work and training to be put to use by being able to see what all of your very well valued time and energy have been put towards.
This event will be an enjoyable and entertaining day for children of all ages whose lives have been impacted by a special needs disability and we invite you to spread to word and join us on Saturday, April 27th at Morgan’s Wonderland!
Press Release
Morgan's Wonderland Helps S.M.A.R.T University Celebrate its 1 Year Anniversary by significantly increasing enrollment
S.M.A.R.T University uses the priceless experience that Morgan Wonderland offers to increase enrollment by 50%.

San Antonio,TX-April 21, 2019
Over 800 people attended the first annual Anniversary Bash on April 20, 2019, in support of S.M.A.R.T University, which helps young adults with intellectual disabilities by giving them hands on vocational training in the San Antonio Area. This Anniversary Bash included rides, food, music, hands on learning booths, and a raffle all took place at our gracious sponsor, Morgan's Wonderland. Everyone was invited to this fun event which helped increase enrollment by 50%, making this the most successful recruiting event to date. This was also to help celebrate the University’s first ever graduating class!
The big success of the event was the hands on learning booths. Booths were set up to help everyone get a sneak peak of the hands on sensory training the S.M.A.R.T University offers through their curriculums. Other booths were set up to talk to teachers, current students, and alumni. There was one last booth to sign up for enrollment which was a huge success.
“The success of this event is really asstonishing! We are happy to welcome all new members to our S.M.A.R.T family”, explains Matthew DeLeon, one of the founders of S.M.A.R.T University. DeLeon continues, “ I am so happy that S.M.A.R.T University is making an impact to all these people and am glad that everyone had a good time today.”  
About S.M.A.R.T University
S.M.A.R.T University is a nonprofit that is based out of San Antonio that provides vocational training to young adults with a intellectual disability. Our curriculum is very hands on as we teach them through sensory learning. All the proceeds that were made at this Anniversary Bash will go to student scholarships, educational equipment, and future programs that will directly benefit  the students. For more information visit us at www.SMARTUNIVERSITY.com
About Morgan's Wonderland
Morgan’s Wonderland provides a unique experience as the world’s first ever accessible family fun theme park for people with all disabilities to have a fun experience. With 25 acres and with purpose built attractions, the enjoyment is everywhere. Offering finishing details that will ensure that you and your family will have a good time. For more information visit www.morganswoderland.com