Summer Internship at Cole Harley-Davidson
Provides Valuable and Comprehensive
Insight Into Marketing

Amber Hatfield (center), a Bluefield State College student, recently completed a 150-hour marketing internship at Cole Harley-Davidson in Bluefield. She is flanked by Teresa Guill (left), Cole Harley-Davidson’s marketing director, and Charlie Cole (right), Cole Harley-Davidson owner.

( Bluefield)—When Amber Hatfield began a marketing internship this summer at Cole Harley-Davidson in Bluefield, she knew more about business cycles than about the cycle business. Now, more than seven weeks and 150 hours of work later, the Bluefield State College student has gained insight and perspective into the challenges and opportunities related to marketing this very popular bike.

Hatfield worked side-by-side with Teresa Guill, Cole Harley-Davidson’s marketing director, and received hands-on training in event planning, working with media, advertising campaign preparation, targeted marketing, and more. “I loved the internship,” the BSC marketing & management major said. “It was fast paced and interesting. I had no idea that so much went into planning and conducting an event.”

“Our goal was to give Amber a comprehensive experience,” explained Guill. “We wanted her to see the pros and cons of a marketing position. It’s exciting at times, but there is also a lot of work involved, a lot of paperwork and details to be handled.”

The “Marketing Internship” class taught at BSC by Susan Mann (visiting instructor/Marketing) required students to spend 150 hours in regularly scheduled, part-time assignments at carefully selected business, government, or industrial establishments. “This experience gives students an opportunity to put theory into practice while gaining valuable skills through on-the-job training,” Mann noted.

“The customers at Cole Harley-Davidson are some of the nicest people you’ll find anywhere,” Hatfield observed. “I saw that, when they bought a bike, the relationship with the dealership didn’t end. In fact, there were trips, events, and activities coordinated by the dealership that helped create a family atmosphere between Cole Harley-Davidson and its customers.”

Hatfield actually took the point in planning a promotional event—the 3 rd annual “Cole Harley-Davidson and the Orioles” night, July 4 at Bowen Field. “Through her work here, Amber has learned how to handle multiple responsibilities at the same time, being aware of what’s being planned at each of our dealerships at any given time.”

Guill sees the internship partnership as a “win-win” arrangement. “The student gets a real taste of all that’s involved in marketing,” she said. “And, because our business is growing—we now have three dealerships—we are looking for talented, enthusiastic people. If an intern has done a good job, we could be very interested in hiring him or her. The internship is like a nine-week interview.”

September 5, 2006