Students Get Hands-On Creative Strategy Experience at Discovery Cove

Published Jun 13, 2025

Students Get Hands-On Creative Strategy Experience at Discovery Cove

As part of the “Friday Blend” series, Media Communications students worked to develop mock campaigns alongside the park's VP of Marketing.

Crystal O’Hea stands at a map of Discovery Cove and speaks to students as they stand around.

On Fridays, Full Sail students studying Media Communications enjoy a weekly ritual called Friday Blend as part of their classes. The first three Fridays of every monthly class term, students gather on campus for various activities related to their studies, from networking events to workshops led by industry professionals.

In the month of May, students enjoyed a three-part learning experience in partnership with Crystal O’Hea, the Vice President of Marketing at Discovery Cove. The goal was to challenge students’ creative abilities by having them develop mock marketing strategies for Discovery Cove — such as social media campaigns and targeted email marketing — that they would pitch later on.

More than 20 students got the chance to meet Crystal, as well as professional photographer Richmond Gibbs who contracts with Discovery Cove, at a panel discussion led by Full Sail Course Director Phil Lacinak. Students enjoyed hearing key insights from these industry experts, along with the opportunity to ask questions and pick their brains.

The next Friday, students took a field trip to Discovery Cove itself to see the unique day resort up close. As they explored the popular Orlando attraction, students got to feed birds in the aviary, watch guests interact with dolphins, and more. The tour not only gave students a fun and memorable experience, but it also allowed them to generate more in-depth ideas for their marketing pitches and ask themselves how they would go about creating awareness of the attraction.

Students stand on a bridge and look out over a pool lined with palm trees and rocks.

Media Communications students take in the sights at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove.

To wrap up this month’s Friday Blend experience, students were able to present their ideas and strategies for optimizing Discovery Cove’s marketing and brand awareness to Crystal and Richmond, who provided additional feedback and advice.

"The student presentations were a blast!," says Phil. "The effort they put in was on full display. There was some off-the-charts nervous energy as they presented to our guests, which I actually loved seeing. It showed how invested they were and how much they cared. The media industry is incredibly competitive, but experiences like this give our students a real edge."

Students sit at desks as Crystal O’Hea stands at the front of the room and speaks. There is a screen on the wall displaying a slide presentation.

Students enjoy learning from Crystal O’Hea, the Vice President of Marketing at Discovery Cove.

“Being part of Full Sail’s Friday Blend series has been a truly rewarding experience," adds Crystal. "Hearing directly from the next generation of media and communications professionals brings a fresh perspective and reminds us why we’re so passionate about this industry. Their curiosity, creativity, and drive are inspiring. It’s an honor to support and engage with such emerging talent.”

"This entire Friday Blend cycle featuring Crystal and Richmond has been a huge success," Phil adds. "The students were engaged from start to finish and came up with some truly creative ideas from a fresh perspective. My goal is to keep building connections with industry professionals who are passionate about sharing their experiences with the next generation, and I already have some exciting ideas for the next one."