Fairfield Dolan Partners with Romanacci to Provide Experience

Press release

Fairfield Dolan Partners with Romanacci to Provide Hands-On Marketing Experience for Students

FAIRFIELD, Conn.— In an exciting partnership, Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business students joined forces with Romanacci, a popular local Italian eatery, to create and execute a successful social media marketing campaign for the restaurant’s Fairfield location. This collaboration not only elevated Romanacci’s digital presence, but also provided invaluable experiential learning opportunities for Fairfield Dolan students.

Under the mentorship of Assistant Professor of Marketing Woocheol Kim, PhD, students enrolled in the Social Media Marketing course gained practical experience in influencer marketing, content creation, and campaign performance analysis. The semester-long project allowed students to apply theoretical marketing concepts in a real-world setting while enhancing Romanacci’s online engagement.

“This project goes one step further, exposing students to actual issues related to social media and asking them to address those issues,” said Dr. Kim. “I’d like my students to take this project as something they can be proud to share on their résumé.”

The students’ efforts produced remarkable outcomes for Romanacci:

• TikTok following increased by 65%, growing from 353 to 583 followers.
• Enhanced engagement through dynamic Instagram and TikTok content.
• Positive impacts on brand awareness and customer base.

“The main part of this partnership was to give students hands-on work experience in the space, but the performance on our social media was way beyond what I expected,” said James Ricci, chief marketing officer of Romanacci. “As much as the students liked it, we [Romanacci] liked it too.”

The collaboration’s success led to Romanacci offering two students semester-long internships for spring 2025, further solidifying the partnership’s impact.

Throughout the project, students worked in teams to develop revenue-driven social media content. Half focused on organic media efforts, while the other half utilized paid media strategies. Success was measured through metrics such as likes, comments, and website traffic.

“Hands-on experience with a local business has provided me with a unique opportunity to apply my marketing knowledge in a practical setting,” said Jonathan Kuzik ’26, a student participant.

This partnership underscores Fairfield Dolan’s commitment to experiential learning and cultivating meaningful connections with local businesses. “The best way to prepare marketing students for their careers is to help students learn by doing,” Dr. Kim said.