Business owner Martin Ortegon meets with a San Joaquin Delta College student after class last week. Delta students are helping him market his small construction business.
'It's exciting': Class connects students with industry
Alex Breitler
April 17, 2019

Martin Ortegon has owned his construction business for almost a decade. And he’s never really needed to advertise, relying instead of referrals from friends and satisfied customers.

“But there’s always room for growth,” he said.

That’s how Ortegon found himself visiting with more than a dozen Delta College business students this week. For their final exam, those students will come up with plans to help him manage and market his business, with a mission statement, a video and an analysis of his firm’s strengths and weaknesses.

It’s a partnership that benefits everyone. Ortegon gets these services for free. And students get a chance to put what they’ve been learning all semester into practice.

“It was kind of exciting to be part of something big like this,” said student Leah Arruda.

Martin Ortegon tells San Joaquin Delta College students about his business so they can help market it to the community.

Delta business Professor Alicia Stewart made it happen. She already knew Ortegon and asked if he’d like to involve his company, Ortegon Construction & Investments, in her office management course (BIM039). Last semester, her students did the same work for Go Falafel Greek Restaurant.

“They’re applying what they’re learning in theory in real life, which helps them secure jobs,” Stewart said. “These courses help bring local industry and Delta College students together.”

For more than an hour on Tuesday, Ortegon met with students and answered their questions about his vision for his business. Armed with those insights, students will get to work over the next few weeks preparing a mission statement, a workflow study, and an analysis commonly known as “SWOT” (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats).

Students will present their projects individually and the best will be shared with Ortegon.

“I’m proud of what we’re doing,” Arruda said afterward. “We’re helping out a business that to me is already successful, but the things we talked about in this class can help him become even more successful.”

Small business owners interested in being selected as BIM039’s Office Management Featured Small Business of in fall 2019, or students interested in registering for the course, can email Stewart at alicia.stewart@deltacollege.edu.

San Joaquin Delta College students are helping Martin Ortegon market his business to the community as part of their final exam.