Cedarville University Launches Personal Branding Course with Book Publishing

To give undergraduates a decisive advantage in the modern job market, Cedarville University launched a personal branding course that merges entrepreneurship with strategic communication. Led by industry experts, the program features a unique requirement: every student writes and publishes a professional book on Amazon, creating tangible proof of their expertise.

This innovative approach addresses a critical need, as employers increasingly seek applicants who can build credibility with a clear, consistent personal narrative before the first interview.

Personal Branding Course Outcomes

The course provides students with a professional toolkit for the modern job market. Key outcomes include a value-driven résumé, a polished 15-second video pitch, a strategic LinkedIn content plan, and a published book that serves as tangible proof of their expertise and communication skills.

Early in the semester, students conduct a rigorous self-audit to distill their core values and signature strengths. These insights become the foundation for four key deliverables:

• A strategic résumé built around compelling value statements
• A 15-second brand pitch recorded on video
• A one-month content plan for LinkedIn
• A 12,000-word book published on Amazon with an ISBN

The curriculum uses two anchor texts - Own Your Brand, Own Your Career by Andy Storch and Mike Kim, and Show Up, Filled Up by Dr. Oberbrunner - to emphasize brand consistency across all touchpoints. Faculty also weave in biblical case studies on identity, urging students to pursue virtuous servant-leadership over simple self-promotion.

A Competitive Edge in a Crowded Job Market

With the average age of a new hire in the United States now 42, Cedarville is committed to helping recent graduates compete at a higher level. Results from a nationwide Aurora University study reinforce this mission, finding that 34% of professionals credit personal branding with stronger networks, 27% report more job interviews, and 22% secure new roles after focused branding efforts.

The momentum for such programs is building across higher education. Open University's free Personal Branding for Career Success course and Case Western Reserve's Branding with IMPACT workshop echo Cedarville's focus on authentic storytelling, signaling that branding is now considered a core employability skill.

Expert-Led Instruction

The course's credibility is anchored by its distinguished faculty. Dr. Kary Oberbrunner, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than a dozen books, heads Igniting Souls, a firm that helps creators monetize their intellectual property. His real-world experience guides students through the complexities of ISBNs, beta readers, and Amazon launch strategies. He is joined by Dr. Daniel D. Fultz, whose decades of classroom experience in persuasive communication ensure graduates can translate their ideas into concise, audience-focused language.

The class culminates in a campus showcase where students pitch their new books to local employers and alumni. Graduates leave not just with a diploma, but with a professional résumé, a published work, and an actionable content plan - three powerful assets designed to overcome age-based hiring biases and meet the market head-on.

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What makes Cedarville's personal branding course different from typical career-prep classes?

Students finish the semester as published authors. While most career-prep courses focus on résumé updates, Cedarville requires every participant to write, format, and launch a professional book on Amazon. The dual-instructor model pairs entrepreneurship with communication, teaching students value-based messaging, servant-leadership, and even blockchain-backed IP protection rather than generic self-promotion.

Who teaches the course and why should students trust their guidance?

Dr. Kary Oberbrunner, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and founder of Igniting Souls, leads the publishing lab. Dr. Daniel D. Fultz, a professor of communication, provides the strategic storytelling framework. They anchor lessons in two texts, Own Your Brand, Own Your Career and Oberbrunner's Show Up, Filled Up, giving students repeatable playbooks used by executives and entrepreneurs worldwide.

How does the class address the challenge of new grads competing with 40-something professionals?

With data showing the average new U.S. hire is 42, the curriculum reframes personal branding around values, trust, and consistency. By mid-term, students produce strategic résumés, clarity statements, and a 12,000-word thought-leadership book that signals a depth of expertise comparable to candidates with more experience. Participants report stronger LinkedIn traction and interview invites that bypass traditional entry-level screenings.

What measurable career advantages are linked to university personal branding programs?

A recent Aurora University study found that professionals who actively brand themselves land 27% more interviews and 22% more job offers. Industry experts predict a strong brand will soon outweigh the résumé. Cedarville's model adds tangible proof of expertise - the published book - giving graduates a portfolio asset that employers can preview instantly on Amazon.

Is prior writing or business experience required to succeed?

No prerequisites are required. The course breaks the publishing process into weekly micro-deadlines, including outlining, 500-word daily drafts, peer review, and automated formatting tools. Dr. Oberbrunner's Instant IP™ method shows students how to protect their work with blockchain smart contracts, so even first-time authors leave with a monetizable digital asset and the confidence to replicate the process for future career pivots.