Jacob Betzner

STARS Asthma Camp

CHALLENGE

Responding to research showing higher rates of childhood asthma in inner city school districts in Pittsburgh, a School of Pharmacy faculty member developed the STARS (Surveillance and Tracking of Asthma in our Region’s Schoolchildren) program and partnered with Pittsburgh Public Schools to bring student pharmacists to local elementary schools to conduct health screenings and educate students on the disease state. Additionally, through a partnership with Duquesne University Athletics, student athletes attended the camps to lead games and workouts. The faculty member asked me to develop marketing materials to promote the program and include in grant proposals for future funding.

STRATEGY

I collaborated with the faculty member and the Duquesne University creative team to create a brand, marketing materials, and promotional items including including pamphlets, flyers, signage, magnets, drawstring backpacks, water bottles, and more. Eventually, I attended one of the STARS asthma camps at Clairton Elementary School just outside of Pittsburgh to take pictures and record video throughout the day.

VIDEO

I recorded, edited, and produced a short video recapping the day, including interviews with School of Pharmacy faculty and Clairton Elementary School personnel, and featuring student pharmacists interacting with the elementary schools students.

RESULTS

In addition to winning the dotCOMM Gold Award, the video, photography, and earned media from the camps helped strengthen future grant proposals. The faculty member secured nearly $1.1 million in grant funding, including nearly $900,000 after developing the marketing materials and content. The STARS program evolved into the Asthma and Food Allergy Awareness Program now managed by the Center for Integrative Health and attracted Allegheny Health Network as a sponsor of the camps.

Year	Grant Funding
2015	$203,326
2016	$325,610
2017	$475,000
2018	$88,900
Total	$1.1 Million