Integrating the Washington Media Scholars Case Study Competition into a Capstone Course

Integrating the WMSF Case Study competition into a capstone course will create a whole new dynamic for students. The case studies provided by WMSF are valuable for students because they demonstrate that strategically selecting a target and creating a media mix that will communicate to the chosen target sometimes requires a flexible, human brain processing the information into the best possible choices. The case studies are more than media choices. They are actual problems or opportunities based in the domain of nonpartisan political communication that require students to delve into the organizations or individuals involved and utilize media to communicate messages. Many students want to just look at the given budget and divide it up equally, but I encourage the students to read the case study over several times to catch the nuances in the case.