Business Storytelling in Action

Storytelling illustration.

This is an opportunity for students to leverage their creative skills and gain hands-on experience in business storytelling, design, communication, and marketing with both local and global small business partners. 

Project description

This project presents students with the opportunity to not only consider fundamental communication concepts but also to use them within various industry contexts. Students will apply writing and communication-based theoretical knowledge to real-world business scenarios, developing professional connections and bridging the gap between the classroom and the professional world. Leveraging our partnerships with local startups and businesses, particularly within the arts sector, this project understands storytelling, traditionally associated with the humanities, as in fact pivotal in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in business. Collaborating closely with UB's Startup and Innovation Collaboratory (CoLab), students will analyze how businesses utilize storytelling across different media platforms to construct messages that effectively reach audiences. Building upon existing relationships with local creative enterprises and startups, students will work directly with these businesses to craft persuasive narratives aimed at engaging the broader community. 

Project outcome

As a culminating project, students will conceptualize and present a storyboard for a media campaign tailored to a partnered company, showcasing their ability to translate theoretical knowledge into real-world strategies.

Students will immerse themselves in a blend of theoretical exploration and hands-on experience, focusing on the place of creativity and storytelling within business. By engaging in collaborative projects with local businesses, students will gain exposure to Buffalo's startup and creative communities, fostering connections and gaining experiences that can inform their future career paths. Through a dedicated focus on storytelling, students will hone their communication abilities across a range of mediums, thereby enhancing their digital literacy and refining their writing skills.

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment Longer than a semester; 6-9 months
Start time Fall (August/September) 
In-person, remote, or hybrid? In-Person Project 
Level of collaboration Small group project (2-3 students) 
Benefits Stipend 
Who is eligible Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors 

Core partners

Project mentor

Nicole Zeftel

Clinical Assistant Professor

Organization and Human Resources

Email: ndzeftel@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 
Start the Digital Badge

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

-Short reading list of articles on business storytelling which will be provided
-Attend at least one workshop or event at UB's Startup and Innovation Collaboratory
-Familiarize themselves with the work at UB Cultivator
-Watch relevant videos which will be provided
-Meet with one or two local startups, arranged by the professor 

Keywords

school of management, business, communication, writing, entrepreneurship, creativity, art, design, storytelling, narrative