December 12 , 2008

Springfield, OH— During the course of their fall 2008 WittCAM project, students Isabel Fernandez Ponce, Kerry Siddens, and Rosel Spiker created several marketing proposals for Audio Bookshelf, a small audio book company focused on children’s books owned by Wittenberg alumnus, David Dittmann ’66.  This New England-based company sells primarily to school and public libraries.  The team conducted extensive research on trends in the audio book industry, new audio technologies, and librarian opinions with the primary goal of increasing product distribution geographically, and enhancing brand equity.  After conducting interviews and researching current marketing strategies, the team created a SWOT analysis and list of strategic windows, which served as a basis for all recommendations.  Recommendations were made in the areas of wholesale distribution channels, library conference display and incentives, and website design and content.  In addition to the marketing proposals, the team also completed over two hundred sales calls, creating positive relationships and connections with several libraries for future sales.  The team presented their work to Dittmann and university staff in Wittenberg University’s Shouvlin Center.

Isabel M. Fernandez Ponce is an exchange student at Wittenberg University. She is from

Spain, specifically, a town in the south east of the country called Murcia, where she attends college. In Spain, she had the opportunity to be part of a project with an export company, doing research about the company, analyzing its marketing strategies and finding out ways to improve the benefits and markets of the company. Fernandez Ponce is studying at Wittenberg this year to complete her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and improve her English skills.

Her main interests are public relations and marketing and those are the areas she wants to continue studying. After graduation, Fernandez Ponce would like to work in sales and marketing, practicing all she has learned during her university studies.

Kerry Siddens ’10, from Vandalia, Ohio, is a junior at Wittenberg University. As a freshman

Siddens became involved in WUSS, Wittenberg’s Cave Club, serving as treasurer for that club last year. As a sophomore, Siddens moved home to help care for her ailing grandfather and to help manage the family apartment rentals. Her responsibilities include upkeep of the grounds, all paper work dealing with the twelve units she is currently in charge of, and all customer service issues with tenants residing in the apartments. In the next few years Siddens hopes to add more apartment units to the ones she currently manages. After graduation, Siddens hopes to go to law school.

Rose Spiker ’09, from Fairborn, Ohio, is a senior pursing a double major in English and Management. She is an honors student, a 2007 Wittenberg Presidential scholar, and a new inductee to Phi Beta Kappa honorary society. Spiker worked for two years at the corporate offices of Speedway SuperAmerica, as both a customer service representative and a prepaid-gas card sales processor. Spiker also has volunteered at Interfaith Hospitality Network, working at the day center, and further contributes through her home church.  Spiker co-captains a women’s soccer team, the Lady Wolfpack, based out of the Dayton area. After graduation, Spiker plans to work for a year in the marketing department at Speedway SuperAmerica, before continuing to law school.