Request for Proposal ListingsSTR 560: Strategic Communication Capstone (Spring 2026)

STR 560: Strategic Communication Capstone (Spring 2026)

Butler University
STR 560: Strategic Communication Capstone (Spring 2026)
03/16/2026 to 05/04/2026
Mark Rademacher
Collaboration Overview
About Students
Graduate students enrolled in the Strategic Communication Capstone (STR 560) are highly motivated individuals specializing in communication, marketing, or related fields. These students bring strong academic foundations in communication strategy, consumer insights, brand messaging, and campaign development. 

They are ready to apply what they’ve learned in a professional, high-stakes setting, using real proprietary data and working closely with clients to deliver innovative solutions to pressing organizational challenges. 
About Program Goals
The goals of the Strategic Communication Capstone include: 

  • Apply strategic communication frameworks to real-world organizational challenges.

  • Analyze proprietary data to inform strategic decisions.

  • Engage directly with industry partners through check-in meetings and presentations.

  • Deliver actionable, evidence-based recommendations tailored to the organization’s needs.

  • Develop professional communication skills — including written reports and formal presentations.


By the end of the course, students will have experience acting as communication consultants and will have demonstrated high-level problem-solving, time management, teamwork, and critical thinking.
About the Collaboration Format
This is a collaborative capstone experience designed to give graduate students the opportunity to work directly with real organizations on a pressing communication or marketing challenge. Industry partners benefit from fresh, evidence-based perspectives, deep research, and actionable recommendations — while also supporting the development of future leaders in strategic communication. 

Each student team will be matched with a unique industry partner and will dedicate the full duration of the course to researching, analyzing, and developing high-impact communication strategies aligned with the organization’s goals.
Benefits for Industry Partners
Program Details

Students Include: Graduate Degree

Students Enrolled:  Students Enrolled

Program Duration: 7 weeks

Program Launch Date: 03/16/26

Program End Date: 05/04/26

Student Commitment: 8-13 Hours hrs/week

Course Format: Capstone, Multiple Projects Multiple Teams

Modality: Fully Remote

# of Projects: 3

View All Program Details

Project Requirements

Industry Partner Requirements
Project Topics Digital Marketing Market Research Marketing
Location Preferences

Local (within 30 miles)

Compensation

No Compensation Required

Sponsorship

No Sponsorship Required
Other Requirements
Participating organizations should: 

  • Present a clear communication or marketing challenge to explore

  • Be available for an initial kickoff meeting and weekly check-ins (30–60 minutes)

  • Respond to student questions or materials asynchronously via email or the CapSource platform

  • Provide relevant data, documents, or context to support student work

  • Participate in the final presentation and feedback session
Project Management Time Commitment 2 Hours per week
Interested Industries Aerospace & Defense Agriculture & Farming Arts & Recreation Biotech & Pharmaceuticals Computers & Hardware Construction, Repair & Maitenance Consulting & Professional Services Consumer Products & Services Education & Ed-Tech Energy & Utilities Fashion & Apparel Finance & Investment Food & Beverage Government Health Care & Life Sciences Insurance Manufacturing & Industrial Media, Publishing & Content Natural Resources Non-Profit & Social Impact Public Works Real Estate Restaurants, Hospitality & Food Service Retail & E-Commerce Semiconductor Software, AI & Data Sports & Entertainment Telecommunications Transportation & Logistics Travel & Tourism
Skills & Expertise
Brand strategy Campaign development Communications Audit Competitive analysis Consumer research Content strategy Data analysis Digital marketing Marketing analytics Media planning Messaging development PR strategy Presentation skills Report writing Stakeholder communication Strategic communication planning
Key Program Dates Due Date

* We’ve got some inspirational project ideas below! These are related project topics that you can mix and match the components for the best cross-functional project experience possible.

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Program Overview
Program Title STR 560: Strategic Communication Capstone (Spring 2026)
Organization Butler University
# of Students Enrolled
13
# of Projects Running
5 Project/s Added (of 3 Projects Expected)

Program Timeline

Project Duration

Start Date: 03/16/26      End Date: 05/04/26

2 months
Collaboration Overview
About Students

Graduate students enrolled in the Strategic Communication Capstone (STR 560) are highly motivated individuals specializing in communication, marketing, or related fields. These students bring strong academic foundations in communication strategy, consumer insights, brand messaging, and campaign development. 

They are ready to apply what they’ve learned in a professional, high-stakes setting, using real proprietary data and working closely with clients to deliver innovative solutions to pressing organizational challenges. 

Student Level:   Graduate Degree

Student Time Commitment:   Full Time

Team Structure:   4 - 5

Program Goals
The goals of the Strategic Communication Capstone include: 

  • Apply strategic communication frameworks to real-world organizational challenges.

  • Analyze proprietary data to inform strategic decisions.

  • Engage directly with industry partners through check-in meetings and presentations.

  • Deliver actionable, evidence-based recommendations tailored to the organization’s needs.

  • Develop professional communication skills — including written reports and formal presentations.


By the end of the course, students will have experience acting as communication consultants and will have demonstrated high-level problem-solving, time management, teamwork, and critical thinking.
Format Structure

Multiple Projects Multiple Teams
Format Title Capstone
Format Description
This is a collaborative capstone experience designed to give graduate students the opportunity to work directly with real organizations on a pressing communication or marketing challenge. Industry partners benefit from fresh, evidence-based perspectives, deep research, and actionable recommendations — while also supporting the development of future leaders in strategic communication. 

Each student team will be matched with a unique industry partner and will dedicate the full duration of the course to researching, analyzing, and developing high-impact communication strategies aligned with the organization’s goals.
Benefits For Industry Partners
Project Modality Fully Remote
Industry Partner Requirements to Participate
Project Topics Digital Marketing Market Research Marketing
Target Industries Aerospace & Defense Agriculture & Farming Arts & Recreation Biotech & Pharmaceuticals Computers & Hardware Construction, Repair & Maitenance Consulting & Professional Services Consumer Products & Services Education & Ed-Tech Energy & Utilities Fashion & Apparel Finance & Investment Food & Beverage Government Health Care & Life Sciences Insurance Manufacturing & Industrial Media, Publishing & Content Natural Resources Non-Profit & Social Impact Public Works Real Estate Restaurants, Hospitality & Food Service Retail & E-Commerce Semiconductor Software, AI & Data Sports & Entertainment Telecommunications Transportation & Logistics Travel & Tourism
Skills & Expertise Brand strategy Campaign development Communications Audit Competitive analysis Consumer research Content strategy Data analysis Digital marketing Marketing analytics Media planning Messaging development PR strategy Presentation skills Report writing Stakeholder communication Strategic communication planning
Location Information & Preferences

Local (within 30 miles)

Industry partners from anywhere are welcome to apply!
Sponsorship

No Sponsorship Required
Compensation

No Compensation Required
Other Requirements
Participating organizations should: 

  • Present a clear communication or marketing challenge to explore

  • Be available for an initial kickoff meeting and weekly check-ins (30–60 minutes)

  • Respond to student questions or materials asynchronously via email or the CapSource platform

  • Provide relevant data, documents, or context to support student work

  • Participate in the final presentation and feedback session
Expected Time Commitment For Project Managers 2 Hours per week
Key Program Dates Due Date
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Resources

Links & Documents
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Projects

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