Three name brands got the benefit of the creativity of students in Maryville University's social media campaigns class this past semester - with results that boosted the companies' bottom lines, sparked online engagement, and enhanced students' experiential learning.

When Maryville Professor Dr. Dustin York cold-called several fast food brands and offered students the chance to create viral content on their behalf, he wasn't sure how many responses to expect. But Chipotle Mexican Grill, Smoothie King, and St. Louis favorite Ted Drewes immediately accepted, offering product, merchandise, and gift cards to fuel authentic, high-impact content. Examples of the student-created content for the name brands can be found on Instagram @MaryvilleUSocial .

In addition, four students in York's class - Cheslyn Tilley (6.5M view post), Anna Kabbes (5.9M view post), Britney Tran (1.2M view post), and Faith Horton (1.1M view post) - "went viral" by creating content with over a million views and earned the ultimate honor of skipping the final exam.

"We don't just talk about experiential learning at Maryville - we do it," said Professor Dustin York . "Our students are learning strategy, creativity, analytics, and brand-building at a level that translates directly to the workplace. I'm so grateful to Chipotle, Smoothie King, and Ted Drewes for embracing this partnership and giving our students a chance to shine."

Maryville University Provost Scott Chadwick emphasized why opportunities like this matter: "The economy is changing, and Maryville is helping our students change with it. Today's graduates need real-world experience before they leave the classroom - and Maryville delivers that. The ingenuity, strategic thinking, and collaborative creativity our students showcased are exactly the skills the modern workforce demands."

Students said the experience not only sharpened their skills, but expanded their confidence.

"I never thought I'd be one of the students going viral this semester, so to say it came as a shock would be an understatement," said Maryville freshman Cheslyn Tilley . "Through virality, I learned just how powerful social media really is, and experiencing that firsthand was a great way to kick off my college journey."

"Being able to work with real-world clients and seeing how our content strategies really work on social media was very valuable and definitely a resume builder!" said senior Faith Horton .

With many companies eager to harness the power of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and other short-form platforms, Maryville's hands-on approach helps students graduate with portfolios that rival agency professionals.

About Maryville University
Founded in 1872, Maryville University is a comprehensive and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of well over 9,000 students. Maryville offers over 90 degrees at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels, as well as several certificates that align with the undergraduate and graduate education levels. Maryville is recognized as the third fastest-growing private university in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education, serving students from 50 states and 56 countries. More than 50,000 Maryville alumni globally, many of whom work and live in the St. Louis region.