Core Competence

Martha Cook’s core competence is a skill and relationship building. Something about the ties that residents form with their friends, small close knit community, involved alums, shared experience, women choose to live there, bonds from, people form strong emotional ties, breeds heart loyalty.

Martha Cook’s Core Competence has served it well through its first 100 years of existence. However, the physical building is aging and thus the organization’s financial needs are increasing.

Martha Cook’s “core business” is developing networks of women who interact socially and professionally throughout their lives. The “customer” benefits from college housing, alumni networks, and lifelong friends. The organization benefits from alums who desire to “give back” or ensure the experience for generations to come. Martha Cook’s board of governors is currently exploring ways to expand the “product portfolio” – as Martha Cook enters its second century on campus should it be more than just dorm? How can the building better prepare women to enter an increasing diverse, competitive, and dynamic world? How can we leverage our networks to benefit each other? These questions will not be answered in this Marketing Plan but it will likely need revision