Juniors and seniors in Valparaiso University’s capstone marketing and entrepreneurship course applied their classroom knowledge to launch a real-world product with Old Gold—the first Valparaiso University-branded whiskey, created in partnership with Valparaiso-based Journeyman Distillery.
On April 28, those students, along with members of the campus and local community, gathered at The American Factory by Journeyman Distillery to celebrate the launch of a uniquely Valpo product.
“Throughout the journey of creating this bottle we went through some ups and downs, navigating what we could and couldn’t do,” Jam McClellon ’26, one of the students on the project, said. “We had to work with a lot of people with different perspectives of what they thought the label and branding should be, and bringing that all together in one bottle has been a special opportunity.”
To make Old Gold a reality, students applied the theories they’d been learning throughout their college careers to a real-world development cycle. They took on the initial product design, gathered feedback from target audiences, marketed the product, and organized the launch, all while working with University leaders and their partners at Journeyman to make sure it was a product everyone could be proud of.
“For me, Valparaiso University is an iconic brand. It’s the longest, continuous legacy in this community, dating back to 1859,” said Bill Welter, owner of Journeyman Distillery. “There’s actually a woolen mill on this property that also dates back to the 1850s. This building has an amazing history, Valpo has an amazing history, so it seemed like a natural collaboration.”
Much like the whiskey-making process, which blends traditional processes with modern techniques to create unique flavor expressions, the student project resulted in a product that celebrates Valpo tradition, honoring the University’s rich history, while showcasing distinctive qualities that represent the uniqueness of its campus community.
Old Gold isn’t just about Valpo tradition, it’s about living the University’s values by giving future business professionals hands-on, real-world experience and the skills they need to thrive in their careers.
“This project demonstrates our dedication to fostering bold, values-driven leaders through practical, real-world experience,” said Matt Luth, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business. “Our business programs offer students the opportunity to build professional relationships, lasting skills, and real product portfolios. It is through project-based learning like this that we achieve our 98% placement rate.”
“We learned a lot about management, about staying on top of so many moving parts,” said Rowan Keefe ’26. “There were a lot of people with a share in this project. We had to organize everyone’s thoughts and work and make sure we were all moving in the right direction. That’s going to be a big help when we move on to the professional world.”
Dushan Nikolovski, M.S., clinical associate professor of entrepreneurship and professor leading the class, hopes that the product launch is the start of a tradition where new bottle designs are made available on an annual basis. Regardless of what the future of Old Gold holds, however, he is thrilled with what his students have accomplished.
“To do this in sixteen weeks, while coordinating with the university’s legal, marketing, and administrative departments, is incredible,” Professor Nikolovski said. “Teaching theory in the classroom is one thing, but to develop and produce an actual in-market product is pretty awesome. I can’t tell you how proud I am of these students, them believing in this and working through the challenges.”
