When Patricia Powell, ’26, enrolled in a senior-level entrepreneurship course, she expected to learn about business. She did not expect to help market a boxing event that would draw more than 1,200 spectators.
As part of the course, Powell and her classmates were tasked with planning and executing a boxing competition between cadets from The Citadel and Virginia Military Institute. Students were responsible for nearly every aspect of the event, including marketing, fundraising, ticket sales, logistics and operations.
“It’s like we created our own company,” Powell said. “Everyone had a role, and we were all working toward the same goal.”
A business major from Charleston, Powell contributed to the marketing side of the project. Drawing on her experience creating video content for athletic teams and her interest in the arts, she produced promotional videos and photography designed to generate excitement for the event.
“I’ve been going to practices, taking photos and videos, and putting it together so people can see what we’re building,” she said.
The course is designed to give students an opportunity to apply the business concepts they have studied throughout their time in the Baker School of Business. Rather than working through hypothetical case studies, students must develop a plan, solve problems and adapt as a real event takes shape.
When fight night arrived, attendance far exceeded expectations. Organizers anticipated a crowd of about 300 people. More than 1,200 attended, creating an electric atmosphere.
For Powell, the experience demonstrated what can happen when classroom learning is put into practice.
“The strategies, planning and work we put in helped prepare us for what comes after graduation,” she said.