Coming soon to a PC near you: Saginaw, MI

Management class to use YouTube to show off best parts of Saginaw

November 12, 2007 —

A handful of students in one SVSU class are using the recent YouTube buzz to create hype for the city of Saginaw.

Professor Ken Kousky came up with the idea of using YouTube, a popular video site, in order to help students appreciate the city. He said that some big area employers are willing to pay high wages for quality professionals to come and work in Saginaw, but there's a problem. A lot of what is said about the city is negative.

This is where his class assignment came into play.

The project is essentially an organized contest that a group of SVSU students is creating. These individuals are receiving class credit for learning how to use marketing techniques, as well as making something successful on the internet. They are graded for their efforts with the project and will be giving out prizes to the best videos.

Richard Swartzendruber, a student working on the project, said they are still in the early stages of creating the finished product, but have set up groups on Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace to try and gain support. He and the other students want the community to take this contest seriously.

"It is a small contest right now but we hope to grow it into an annual thing," he said.

Swartzendruber said the group is already thinking about the future for the contest, hoping to hold a Battle of the Valleys contest of the like with surrounding cities. In addition, the students have also had talk of possibly coordinating a similar contest with the city of Saginaw, Texas.

Another student in the class, Steve Chuchvara, says there has already been a few obstacles to overcome.

"We are in the process of getting more prizes," he said. "Businesses are a little hesitant in giving out 'free' things."

Submissions made through the project's Web site, youtube.com/group/SaginawIsCool. Each video may run up to 10 minutes and must reflect a positive light on the Saginaw community. The contest will run until Dec. 2, with judging to take place on Dec. 3.

Although anyone is allowed to submit a video, the site encourages students to use this project as a way to get their message out into the community. The site states it is a great opportunity to help bring out some lesser know shops, restaurants, activities, and unknown things of Saginaw.

More information can be found on the Web site, or by e-mailing saginawiscool@yahoo.com.