The first Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Information Weekend, hosted by West Virginia University, is planned for April 15-17, in Morgantown. WVU is the only school in the country offering a M.S. degree in IMC that can be completed solely through online coursework. Classes for the fall session start Aug. 22; applications are due May 15.

Integrated Marketing Communications is revolutionizing the way organizations identify and reach all stakeholders,said Archie Sader, WVU assistant vice president of Integrated Marketing Services.Traditional marketing communications vehicles such as advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales promotion and the Internet are no longer isolated functions. In this innovative program, these activities are united under one umbrella in order to build profitable long-term relationships with consumers and all stakeholders,he said.

The IMC graduate program provides a unique opportunity for a student to earn a masters degree without having to leave a current job or relocate to a university campus,said Chad Mezera, IMC Director of Student Advising and Recruitment.Our students are working professionals from all over the world who complete the programs rigorous coursework online.

Over 100 current students and faculty members who worked together for over a year in the IMC distance learning program, along with their guests, will meet each other face-to-face at the Information Weekendmost for the first time. Numerous prospective

students will also attend, as the event is an opportunity to learn about the curriculum, teaching methods and career placement services offered by the innovative program.

The Information Weekend presents an opportunity for our current students, prospective students and faculty to get together in person to socialize and network, in addition to learning important information about the programMezera said.Responses from both current and prospective students have been overwhelmingly positive.

Planned activities begin with a reception Friday evening at E. Moore Hall on WVU s main campus. On Saturday, information sessions will convene at Erickson Alumni Center during which an innovative new career placement service will be introduced. The weekend will also include a wine-tasting in downtown Morgantown, dinner at Pines Country Club and an informal Sunday brunch to close the weekend event. To participate in Information Weekend prospective students must register by March 31.

For more information about the IMC program or to register for Information Weekend, contact Mezera at (304) 293-3505 ext. 5415 or via e-mail at chad.mezera@mail.wvu.edu .

About the IMC Graduate Program at WVU
p. The online graduate program in Integrated Marketing Communications (M.S.IMC) in the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism offers the highest quality graduate-level education in Integrated Marketing Communications. Taught by industry experts, the innovative 13-course program from West Virginia University can be completed in less than two years. The program will provide working professionals throughout the world with access to the School of Journalism and its curriculum and resources.

Complete IMC graduate program details are available at:www.wvu.edu/~imc.

About Archie Sader

Sader is assistant vice president, integrated marketing services at West Virginia University. He launched the IMC Graduate Program at WVU in 2001 and served as IMC program director and chair of the advertising department through 2004. He recently assumed the AVP position at the University to handle integrated marketing communications for the entire University community. He continues to maintain a leadership role in the IMC program. Direct marketing, integrated marketing communications and media planning and analysis are among Professor Sader’s specialties. As director of the graduate IMC program, he was responsible for curriculum, enrollment management, faculty recruiting and supervision, and student advising. He was elected WVU School of Journalism Teacher of the Year in 2004. Prior to joining WVU ’s faculty in 2001, he was president of a full-service Madison Avenue advertising agency, serving clients such as BusinessWeek, National Football League Properties and Standard&Poor’s. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from The University of Michigan, Sader earned an MBA in marketing from Columbia University Graduate School of Business.