DSEF’s most recent Campus Event at Florida State University (FSU) showcased one company’s extraordinary commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Randi Farina, Vice President of Business Development of Living Fresh Collection, shared her company’s story with more than 500 FSU students on October 22.
“College students are aware of the competition in today’s job market,” Randi says. “I was honored to be able to use my passion for the direct selling industry to share with them an opportunity they might not have otherwise considered. Being able to interact directly with them was a wonderful experience.”
Living Fresh Founders Diana Dobin Kauppinen and Michael Dobin created a healthy line of luxury linens made from Tencel+Plus™ Lyocell (fibers from eucalyptus). “It was amazing to see so many students at FSU share in our mission of sustainability, which gives us confidence in the next generation of business owners and entrepreneurs who truly want to make a difference,” Randi says.
That message resonated with American Marketing Association FSU Chapter President Marliese DeMauro. “Living Fresh’s sustainability tactics and mission to give back to the world are both admirable and inspirational,” she says. “I think any one of our members would be proud to work for such a company.”
Dr. Lucas Hopkins, FSU Professor of Marketing, hosted the Foundation’s event for his undergraduate students in two different courses and the AMA student meeting. “My classes thoroughly enjoyed the speaker’s presentation as it was a perfect blend of information about direct selling, background on her company and the concepts we discuss in class,” he says. “Randi’s talk was very refreshing and enjoyed by all!”
DSEF’s campus programs help students better understand direct selling, a global channel of distribution with annual revenues of more than $180 billion world-wide. “Randi’s presentation brought up a unique side of the marketing world that is sometimes overlooked by college students,” says Marliese. “I learned how the industry of direct selling plays a large role in strengthening today’s economy. It also has the ability to empower those individuals working in the field.”
DSEF campus programs are designed to go beyond the one-day interactions between executives, professors and students and create layers of value and opportunity. For students, additional benefits include talking first-hand to business professionals in their field, internships and experiential learning opportunities. After each presentation, Randi generously shared her time with every student who approached her and invited them to take a tour of Living Fresh Collection in their new, green business place.
Since 1989, DSEF has partnered with dozens of universities across the country to bring senior executives to campuses and classrooms. Direct selling company executives speak to students about their companies, the industry and the important issues and challenges relevant to most businesses. For professors, DSEF provides access to leading industry executives as well as access to industry data that can drive academic research. “The support we received from DSEF is quite extraordinary!” says Hopkins. “I am looking forward to having DSEF and companies like Living Fresh visit my classes again.”