ESU Math Class Puts Numbers to Work for United Way of Monroe County

It was only his second day on the job as the new executive director of the United Way of Monroe County (UWMC), and 19 math majors of East Stroudsburg University were already helping Michael Albert solve some of the non-profit’s concerns.

Albert, and Rich Schlameuss, a UWMC’s board member and chair of the marketing committee , spent half a day in a math modeling class at ESU, surrounded by students who spent half of their spring semester analyzing data and researching solutions that would help the UWMC increase the number of donations they receive.

Albert and Schlameuss left the classroom knowing that two billboards in the local area would cost them about $2,900, which would leave 1,396,856 impressions and that a mailing list of 4,413 properties would cost the United Way $441.30. The students explained tech-savvy advertising including, the ‘text to donate’ method, the effectiveness of QR codes, commercial and online advertising as well as more traditional advertising options such as, table tents and placemats at restaurants, and volunteer initiatives at grocery stores.

“The students’ presentation was an example of the professional work I would receive from a consulting agency,” Albert said. “I am fascinated with ESU’s eagerness to help the community— it is so impressive.”

For the last eight years, Olivia Carducci, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics, initiated a service learning project in her math class to bring her coursework to life. Last year, Dr. Carducci spoke to representatives from the United Way at a ESU Career Development business expo. She wanted to see if they would be interested in a partnership with the class. In early March, Mathilda Sheptak, former executive director of UWMC, came to the class to inform the students of the company’s request to help them increase the number of donations they receive. United Way is a nonprofit agency that partners with local nonprofits, businesses, government and social service agencies to address the community’s pressing needs. Over the course of six weeks, students developed a presentation for the company which included different methods of advertising to promote donations, a breakdown of the cost for each medium, and the pros and cons of each form of advertising. On May 7, 2015, the students presented their research to Albert, Schlameuss, and Miguel V. Barbosa, chief of staff at ESU and incoming UWMC board president.

Numbers were a key part in explaining each method of advertising.

“Those of us who study math have the ability to understand numbers on a different level,” David Zettel ’15, from Bethlehem, Pa., said. “We don’t just believe in the number in front of us— we need to see true data to know why that number exists.”

When it comes to the United Way, Zettel believes their analysis can help the organization increase its funding and use the specific avenues they recommended as a part of UWMC’s marketing strategies.

“We pitched a presentation to representatives that have been in the advertising field,” he said. “We are not trying to educate them on how to advertise – because they already know how to do that— but instead we wanted to show them the different methods of advertising and the numbers behind each one.”

While they are educating United Way on the importance of data, the students are testing their knowledge in the “real world.”

“When you’re presenting data to a real company, there’s something on the line,” Frank Dyska, a graduate student from Roaring Brook Township, Pa., said. “There’s a pressure to present them with new ideas, but there’s also an opportunity to play a role in the organization’s growth.”

Albert plans on sharing the students’ research with the United Way’s marketing committee, and he thinks it will play a key role in helping their advertising plan.

“As math majors, we like to be good problem solvers,” Keri Hamlen ’15, from East Stroudsburg, Pa., said.

The partnership between the university and the non-profit organization goes beyond the Math classroom. Recently, ESU was selected as Partner of the Year for the United Way of Monroe County.

“United Way of Monroe County recognizes that ESU is a wonderful part of Monroe County, not only providing a top-notch educational experience for students, but also working with many other local organizations in multiple ways, to help Monroe County be the best it can be,” Monica Cravotta, campaign & fund distribution director of United Way, said.

The award was presented to university representatives on June 9 at The Chateau Resort and Conference Center in Tannersville, Pa.

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