Marketing Sets the Stage for New Revenue
Editor’s Note: During 2025, The Bulletin has continued its State of the College Union series of articles that analyze the most current and affecting issues facing the Association’s members. In this issue Ben Klepzig writes about marketing and revenue at the Wisconsin Union, and West Chester University co-authors Ann Callaghan, Sandi Pachuta, Adriane Reilly, and Jayna Suter share how a successful, reoccurring retail market was created in the lobby of Sykes Student Union.
In two case studies, professional staff have developed different methods for driving foot traffic into the union space. At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the Wisconsin Union, as it approaches its 100th year, supports a student population of over 50,000 that regularly experiences a unique and historic marketing symbol—the iconic sunburst terrace chair—on any given visit to the union. This first case study looks at how that symbol has been used to successfully market the union and create new revenue opportunities. West Chester University’s Sykes Student Union is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, providing a welcoming environment to just over 20,000 students. Looking to move beyond a traditional holiday market for its union space, the marketing team there developed a process to identify, support, and market a broader group of community retailers by creating a reoccurring marketplace. Within these two case studies, the hope is that union leaders may glean both perspective and prospective projects from the operations at these two student unions.
