Marketing shows up everywhere, from brand strategy and analytics to consumer behavior and storytelling, and at The University of Tulsa, it is already a core academic strength. This spring, students are building on that foundation with the launch of the UTulsa Marketing Club, a new student-led organization designed to complement classroom learning with professional exposure, collaboration and real-world insight.
The club brings together students from across majors who are interested in how marketing shapes business decisions and career paths. While UTulsa’s marketing program emphasizes creativity, strategy and analytics through coursework, internships and applied projects, the Marketing Club provides an additional space for students to engage directly with professionals working in the field.
Alycia Reji, a sophomore accounting major from Tulsa and president of the club, said her interest in marketing grew through hands-on experience outside the classroom.
“After working on marketing materials for my dad’s homebuilding company, I realized how accessible and relevant marketing is, not just for marketing majors, but for anyone interested in creating, analyzing and executing ideas,” Reji said. “The club felt like a way to bring that practical side of marketing to more students.”
The Marketing Club was founded by a team of student leaders and is advised by Toby Joplin, assistant professor of management, who brings industry experience to the role. Before joining the faculty in UTulsa’s Collins College of Business, Joplin worked in marketing at Intuit, where he helped launch a website in 30 days with a small team, a project later recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the top uses of the web.
Under his guidance, the new club is focused on experiential learning that complements the marketing curriculum, including guest speakers, site visits and networking opportunities with alumni and professionals.
“Our students learn strong marketing theory in the classroom,” Joplin said. “The club helps connect that foundation to how marketing decisions are actually made by professionals working with real clients in real markets.”
The organization’s mission centers on accessibility and collaboration. Membership is open to students from all majors, reflecting the reality that marketing intersects with finance, accounting, management, analytics and entrepreneurship. Early activities are intentionally student driven, allowing members to shape programming as the club grows.
“Students aren’t just joining something that already exists,” Reji said. “They’re helping build it – from the kinds of speakers we invite to the experiences we create.”
The Marketing Club’s first meeting was held in February 2026. Leaders from Alchemy Branding and Synergy Marketing Solutions spoke about their organizations and careers in marketing. The next meeting is scheduled at noon on March 23 in 105 Helmerich Hall.