(San Bernardino, CA) Two programs managed by the Academic Computing and Media Department at Cal State San Bernardino (Coyote Advertising and Coyote Radio)  have partnered with local radio stations KCAL and KOLA FM to further enhance practical learning opportunities for Cal State students.

The partnership will provide the opportunity for students to engage in several hands-on projects with the local radio stations, most notably the syndicated show “My Awesome Empire” and the small business contest “Your Business is Unique to U.S.”

Students from the College of Business and Public Administration and the College of Arts and Letters will work side-by-side with broadcast, production and marketing experts at the two stations owned by Anaheim Broadcasting Corporation. KCAL and KOLA FM have over six million combined monthly listeners and KOLA is the highest rated English language radio station in the San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario radio market.

My Awesome Empire is a syndicated radio and television show that highlights business, social, and student heroes of the Inland Empire.  CSUSB students will write, produce, direct, engineer, and market airtime for the commercial program which will air weekly on KCAL FM 96.7, KOLA 99.9, Coyote Radio (radio.csusb.edu), and on various cable television outlets including: Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Time Warner and Charter Communications. The first show is scheduled to air in late September.

The small business contest “Your Business is Unique to U.S.” sponsored by U.S. Bank and presented by KCAL and KOLA FM, will allow several students in the Coyote Advertising program to develop a marketing plan for the winning small business.  Local Inland Empire small businesses may enter in a contest for a prize which includes a $10,000 radio advertising campaign on KOLA and KCAL, a $5,000 radio schedule for a non-profit chosen by the winning business, and a Marketing Plan developed by the CSUSB Coyote Advertising program.

The small business contest will be supported by heavy on-air and online promotional campaigns with both radio stations during the summer.  The marketing plan will be prepared by CSUSB students in the Coyote Advertising program and presented to the winning business during the fall quarter, 2012.

Jacob Poore, ACM Marketing Coordinator and President of the Inland Empire American Advertising Federation said, “Hands-on experience like this is invaluable to our CSUSB students; applying the theories from their textbooks and classes to real-world projects aligned with their course of study. It’s also a terrific way for them to develop professional contacts in the industry and charge their resume, making them more marketable to employers upon graduation.”

The Coyote Radio and Coyote Advertising programs are seeking students who would like to be involved with these projects. KCAL and KOLA FM have already provided internships for more than fifteen CSUSB students since 2008. Coyote Radio and Coyote Advertising have placed over 40 students into Southern California media internships. Seven of those have evolved into paid career level positions at KCAL and KOLA FM alone.