DMEF to Conduct Direct Marketing Seminar for Grad Students

February 6, 2007 — A group of 30 master’s degree candidates from across the nation will gather at the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Seminar Center in New York City on February 8-10 to participate in an intensive immersion seminar in direct marketing conducted by the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF).

Held annually, the program, titled “2007 DMEF Seminar in Direct and Interactive Marketing for Graduate Students,” is a project of the Lee Epstein Fund, a direct marketing educational scholarship named for Lee Epstein, who was formerly of Mailmen, Inc. and DMA Hall of Fame Award recipient.

The three-day seminar focuses on cutting-edge direct and interactive marketing techniques and media used successfully by both traditional and non-traditional marketers. The participants are top graduate students who have been nominated by their faculty advisors and have completed a competitive application process for scholarships to this program.

The students are from Baruch College – City University of New York (CUNY), Georgia State University, Illinois State University, Iowa State University, Louisiana State University, Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Oklahoma State University, South Dakota State University, St. Bonaventure University, SUNY - Plattsburgh, Touro College, University of Massachusetts – Boston, University of Akron, University of Alabama, University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, University of Findlay, University of Florida, University of Massachusetts – Amherst, University of Texas – Austin, University of Texas – Arlington, Wayne State College, Wayne State University, and Western Washington University.

Following the seminar, DMEF will make the grad students’ résumés available to DMA member companies. For further information, e-mail dmef@the-dma.org

Direct marketing practitioners on the faculty include Matt Blumberg, president, Return Path; Dan Parzych, vice president, Data Services and Solutions, Alliant Cooperative Data Solutions; Christine Slusarek, executive director, List Management, Time Consumer Marketing, Inc.; Alan Chapell, president, Chapell & Associates; Karl Dentino, president, Dentino Marketing; Neil Feinstein, director of creative strategy, True North, Inc.; Marjorie Kalter, PhD, professor and graduate program director, New York University; Leona Lindner, marketing director, Gevalia Kaffe; Ruth Stevens, president, eMarketing Strategy; Beatriz Mallory, president and CEO, HispanAmérica; Matt Moog, founder and CEO, Viewpoints.com; and Matt Remigy, associate director, data mining and modeling, Harte-Hanks.

Established in 1966 by DMA, the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) (www.the-dmef.org) is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit educational foundation supported by tax-deductible contributions. Its sole purpose is to help people learn about the economic values of direct marketing and its career opportunities by improving the quality and increasing the scope of direct marketing education at the college/university level. DMEF offers programs that introduce – and in fact engage – professors and college students in the thriving business of direct and interactive marketing. Programs not only encourage participation, but equip professors with the most up-to-date educational resources to prepare students for a successful career in the field of direct and interactive marketing.

The Lee Epstein Fund, formerly Direct Marketers Gateway, Inc., and its predecessor, the Education Committee of Direct Marketing Days in New York, were founded by Lee Epstein. The Lee Epstein Fund has contributed more than $3 million to fulfill its mission: to provide funding directly to educators for resources and scholarships for students to introduce and drive careers in direct marketing.

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