The purpose of this thesis is to describe and analyze work that I personally contributed to Sun Devil Giving Day and to present the recommendations I have as a result. This thesis will also serve as a guide for next year’s campus activation lead and team. Volunteers, locations, and booths are the three main components that I managed leading up to SDGD. The work within those areas has been detailed throughout the document. Having the opportunity to write and reflect on SDGD has given me the chance to share an experience I had as campus activation lead and to critically think about the work that was completed and my personal lessons for leading similar projects in the future.

The idea of a university-wide giving day is not a new one. Seven year’s ago, ASU and the ASU Foundation set out a goal to incorporate giving as a university tradition. Shifting the student mindset has been no easy task, as building the next generation of philanthropist will continue to take innovative creativity and grit. As the idea of monetary giving increasingly dwindles, it will be annual traditions like Sun Devil Giving Day (SDGD) that will serve as a touch point to educate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the whole ASU community on the importance of philanthropy, what giving means to them, and how they can make an impact now. With 9,318 gifts and $11,462,634 raised, this year’s SDGD was a success. Outlined throughout are benefits of a giving day, the history of ASU’s SDGD, and current student giving. One of the ways that Sun Devil Giving Day sets out to do this is through campus activation. This includes creating and executing a philanthropic engagement booth that serves as a way for students to interactively think about their giving and what they care about at ASU. Through serving as the Campus Activation Lead, I coordinated the volunteers, campus locations, and the booths leading up to and the day-of the event.

The M&G Drive is a proposed venture project lead by Barrett seniors, Elijah Smith and Jenna Fitzgerald. This project aims to educate Arizona State University (ASU) students on the issues of food insecurity around the Phoenix valley and facilitate their involvement in helping alleviate this pressing social matter. Scientific research has shown significant inverse relationships between food insecurity and the following: mental and physical health, social skills, and academic achievement. As the largest public university in the nation, Arizona State holds a self-ascribed responsibility for the health of its communities. In order to address this issue on behalf of Arizona State and from the standpoint of college students, this proposed venture will encourage the ASU student population to reallocate their unused M&G Dollars (ASU’s on-campus currency) to go toward this cause. Rather than being absorbed back by the university system, unused M&G Dollars can instead be used to purchase non-perishables that will then be donated to the local Phoenix community in order to help fight against food insecurity.

Accurately assessing Major League Baseball player value is at the core of consistent success for any MLB organization. Effectively targeting players in trades and strategically spending available funds in the free agent market are of increasing importance as MLB salaries rise. In a sport where it takes 162 games to separate contenders, any advantage in identifying talent can be the difference between winning and losing. This paper draws team batting data from the past seven MLB seasons and runs a multi-variable regression to measure the run value of each individual batting outcome. If teams can more accurately measure the offensive value a player produces, they can more optimally spend their finances. Our regression results suggest that previously used statistics such as wOBA and OPS neglect outcome that have significant effects: baserunning ability and out type. Further contract analysis on four free-agent signing from 2018-2019 free agent class illustrate that teams often over and underestimate player value and could benefit greatly with more accurate player evaluation.

For over ninety years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognized award-winning films for their technical capabilities, acting and storytelling. And for decades, many parties involved have campaigned for Oscar glory. This thesis generates a deeper understanding into the process by which the motion picture ecosystem works - and explains why being nominated and/or winning an Academy Award generates added value for all parties involved ranging from agencies to studios, streamers, talent and even legitimate awards campaign strategists. This thesis analyzes the various methods and price tags different entities put on awards campaigns and explores the various creative and traditional methods in which people vie for nominations and wins. Our title, “For Your Consideration,” is a term widely used in the entertainment industry when courting Academy members to vote for eligible projects in traditional advertising - which can be seen littered about Hollywood in the months leading up to Oscar Sunday.

Everyone has a story to tell. Marketing nowadays is less about what is being made and more about how it is being told. Integrate an exciting or interesting story with sports and that is the ultimate storytelling experience. Social media has completely changed the game for professional teams when it comes to how teams are telling their digital stories and engaging with fans. Entire social media teams exist in these organizations, which is something that did not exist not too long ago. The rise in fans experiencing and viewing social media platforms is altering how teams engage, connect, and communicate with fans.

When it comes to my story, I wanted to make sure I told one that was interesting, relevant and worthwhile. I felt lost for quite some time in regards to what direction I wanted to take with my thesis. After meeting with Dan Moriarty and Kevin Brilliant of the Chicago Bulls during an outreach trip with the Sports Business Association, I knew I wanted to gain more insight into how teams are telling their digital stories and connecting with their fans. I wanted to learn more about how teams across the country are playing the game of social media and what strategies they put into place to be impactful and successful. I wanted to learn the value teams found in social media and how social media impacts the organizations as a whole, specifically in revenue generation. Most importantly, I wanted to learn how teams are engaging with fans and how social media has changed the world of sports. This research includes insights from various individuals in the industry as well as survey data from W. P. Carey students. The accumulation of this thesis has resulted in a closer look into social media in the sports industry and how teams are measuring success in the digital space.

Home Base Initiative is a student-led venture project co-founded by Madison Sutton and Sonia Sabrowsky in January 2018. As an organization, Home Base Initiative addresses the problem of teen suicide by educating parents, teachers, and students about the research-backed mental health resources currently available to them and by implementing peer-based support programs in local high schools. With the belief that positive mental health habits are for everyone, not just individuals with a clinical diagnosis, Home Base Initiative aims to encourage positive conversations about mental health and to increase social and emotional resilience among adolescents to help them navigate the challenges in their lives. In addition to identifying the community problem our organization aims to solve, this document outlines the initial conception, development, and future outlook Home Base Initiative by describing the methods by which the organization has researched other like-minded programs, formed strategic partnerships with community members, piloted its peer-based program at a local high school, and established a foundation for future success as a student organization at Arizona State University. Currently, the Home Base Initiative team consists of 10 undergraduate students at ASU with diverse backgrounds and academic interests as well as credible mentors who are involved in the ASU Tillman Scholars Program, ASU Counseling Services, and The Courage Lab at ASU. We are united by our passion for supporting others’ mental health, and we are dedicated to playing an active role in the healthy development of our fellow community members through mental health advocacy and the facilitation of positive peer-to-peer interactions.

The United States is in a period of political turmoil and polarization. New technologies have matured over the last ten years, which have transformed an individual’s relationship with society and government. The emergence of these technologies has revolutionized access to both information and misinformation. Skills such as bias recognition and critical thinking are more imperative than in any other time to separate truth from false or misleading information. Meanwhile, education has not evolved with these changes. The average individual is more likely to come to uninformed conclusions and less likely to listen to differing perspectives. Moreover, technology is further complicating and compounding other issues in the political process. All of this is manifesting in division among the American people who elect more polarized politicians who increasingly fail to find avenues for compromise.

In an effort to address these trends, we founded a student organization, The Political Literates, to fight political apathy by delivering political news in an easy to understand and unbiased manner. Inspired by our experience with this organization, we combine our insights with research to paint a new perspective on the state of the American political system.

This thesis analyzes various issues identified through our observations and research, with a heavy emphasis on using examples from the 2016 election. Our focus is how new technologies like data analytics, the Internet, smartphones, and social media are changing politics by driving political and social transformation. We identify and analyze five core issues that have been amplified by new technology, hindering the effectiveness of elections and further increasing political polarization:

● Gerrymandering which skews partisan debate by forcing politicians to pander to ideologically skewed districts.
● Consolidation of media companies which affects the diversity of how news is shared.
● Repeal of the Fairness Doctrine which allowed media to become more partisan.
● The Citizens United Ruling which skews power away from average voters in elections.
● A Failing Education System which does not prepare Americans to be civically engaged and to avoid being swayed by biased or untrue media.

Based on our experiment with the Political Literates and our research, we call for improving how critical thinking and civics is taught in the American education system. Critical thought and civics must be developed pervasively. With this, more people would be able to form more sophisticated views by listening to others to learn rather than win, listening less to irrelevant information, and forming a culture with more engagement in politics. Through this re-enlightenment, many of America’s other problems may evaporate or become more actionable.

Over time it is clear that consumer trends will shift due to many different factors. During our lifetime we are able to observe a new generation of consumers that will soon take over the entire consumer landscape within the United States. This new generation of consumers are currently attending or about to finish their college education, but the lack of income does not stop them from following their consumer trends. This generation grew up in one of the most interconnected and impressionable societies the world has ever seen. These new consumers are now worried about where they are socially classified based on the products and services they seek. When focusing on the retail market, we see the world's largest retailer somehow falling behind its largest competitors. Therefore, we ask ourselves why Walmart, the world standard for the retail industry, is struggling to stay relevant in the upcoming consumer markets. By analyzing research conducted with 676 Arizona State University students and researching Walmart's overall position within the United States, we came to the conclusion that the only setback Walmart is currently facing is not their public image but the social perception from consumers. Walmart does not lack the processes or resources to appeal to the college consumer but what we found was a lack of communication and true connection with younger consumers. In this day and age, a physical store on a college campus is no longer convenient to the typical college student. After our research, we determined the areas in which Walmart must maximize marketing efforts to help develop the Walmart college brand. Our goal is to create a bridge between the world’s largest retailer and the number one school for innovation in the United States to help have access to knowledge, resources and development to the college consumer while also helping consumers realize that just because a product is more expensive, it does not mean it is any better.

This thesis explores revenue management within the domestic United States airline market from a broad research base including peer-reviewed journals, professional articles, industry studies, government statistics, and consumer surveys. Among other topics, the thesis synthesizes data from these sources to effectively understand how airlines turn a profit in one of the world’s most competitive industries. Within that scope, the thesis explores the history of the industry, how technology affects revenue management strategies, how deregulation affected competition, and how different costs impact an airline’s operations. This is accomplished primarily with the literature review, governmental statistics, and professionals in the field. Moreover, the surveys provide a human element to these numbers. Namely, how does the public perceive the airline industry? Moreover, what drives the decision to purchase a seat on a particular airline over another? The research suggests four main trends in the US’ airline industry: increase in low-density long-range routes, high-density short-range routes, redefining high-density routes’ capacity utilization, and expansion of the Low-Cost Carrier. The former, due to the scope of this thesis, will be diminished in its analysis. The latter three will be expanded upon. A case study of three U.S. airports identified as small, medium, and large is present at the end to expand upon a hypothesis presented.

Las Vegas, Nevada has been considered the "Entertainment Capital of the World" bolstering what seems like endless possibilities and attractions for those who come looking to have a good time. From the many storied casinos that line The Strip, to replicas of wonders of the world, and the countless attractions the city hosts such as the world-renowned shows and other blockbuster events, Vegas seems to have it all. However, one thing seems to be missing \u2014 professional sports. This project highlights the introduction of Las Vegas' first ever professional sports franchise, the Golden Knights, along with the journey it took to get there. Beginning with origins of professional hockey and the foundation of the NHL in 1927, the League has grown substantially in size that spans over 19 states, from coast to coast, across the country. From the NHL's first expansion in 1967, the league has witnessed immense growth through the influence of broadcasting rights and seen through increased television ratings, in-game attendance numbers, and youth hockey registration numbers in markets throughout the United States. The growth and promotion of hockey culture in regions outside the North and Northeastern part of the nation have led to the recent expansion of hockey into Las Vegas. This thesis covers the steps in which the new Vegas franchise was formed, in addition to the key factors that led to the team's incredible inaugural season success which has marked them the most successful expansion team ALL North American sports history. Finally, after displaying the contributions the Golden Knights have had on the ice, this thesis illustrates the impact the team has made off the ice both for the Las Vegas economy and the local community. Through the construction of Vegas' state of the art arena, the franchise's ticket and merchandise sales, the media value and attention the team has brought to Las Vegas, and the increase in jobs created for the city, the Golden Knights have been generating hundreds of millions of dollars for Las Vegas. As the city's first professional sports franchise, the Golden Knights have truly become a successful addition to the "Entertainment Capital of the World," and to the NHL itself.