A Class of Published Authors: Students in Personal Branding Course Publish on Amazon

Eighteen Cedarville University students have become published authors, using digital publishing and personal branding strategies to expand their professional reach.

As part of a personal branding course taught by professors Daniel D. Fultz and Kary Oberbrunner, the students authored e-books and published them through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

“When you write a book, it increases your brand value,” said Oberbrunner. “About 82% of the population dreams of writing a book, and sadly, less than 1% of those who want to ever do. It's difficult to sit down, put your thoughts into words and publish a book.”

Students Use Publishing to Strengthen Professional Brands

Personal branding communicates a person’s strengths as a means of service, and publishing a book is a key step in building that brand. Students were encouraged to write about topics they were both passionate and knowledgeable about.

Emma Reale, a senior marketing major from Westerville, Ohio, published a book entitled “Picking Up Your Pen: Quiet Your Heart, Listen Within, and Cherish Your Growth.” Drawing from her experience with journaling, Reale hopes to encourage others to embrace reflective writing as a tool for personal and spiritual growth.

“My goal when writing the book was to help people get over the mental block of journaling and to go from seeing it as a task to seeing it as therapeutic and intentionally investing in their growth one small step at a time,” said Reale. “God created us so uniquely that everything we have gone through and everything we do is worth noticing and growing from. I believe every person has a story and a life worth documenting.”

Cedarville Course Teaches Writing, Editing and Book Design

Throughout the course, students experienced the full publishing process, including writing, editing, peer and faculty feedback and book cover design. Fultz and Oberbrunner emphasized that personal branding is not rooted in self-promotion but in service and purpose. Using the example of a medical professional with the skills to help a sick person, they challenged students to view their personal brand as the gift they use to serve others.

“We serve others best when we let them know how our Lord has equipped us to serve,” said Fultz.

Student Authors Connect Personal Brand With Purpose

Students said the course redefined how they thought about their personal brand and pushed them outside their comfort zones to share their writing publicly.

“Taking the course helped me view my personal brand not only as a reputation but as a consistent character and set of values,” said Reale. “I've been more intentional with how I perceive myself and my brand so that I can be more genuine and intentional with my brand's perception to others. My confidence in the character traits God has gifted me with has increased since writing my book.”

As these new authors share their ideas with the world, they show how personal branding through publishing can position them in the job market as service-minded professionals.

Cedarville Students Published Books on Faith, Business, Culture and Personal Growth

Students completing books in addition to Reale were:

• Weslin Alejo of West Lafayette, Indiana, wrote “Quiet Wealth: Why Your Name Is Your Biggest Asset”

• Ema Bakalli of Albania wrote “Between Cultures: A Guide for International Students”

• Joel Bakalli of Albania wrote “Anchored: Understanding and Defending Your Faith”

• Danielle Cherry of Germany wrote “Change: Initiative, Impact, and Imprint”

• Carrie Denlinger of Arcanum, Ohio wrote “Faithful Fashion: Sewing Together the Relationship Between Clothing and Christianity"

• Ingrid Erickson of Milford, Ohio, wrote “The Grind: Why Work Is a Blessing From the Lord, Not a Necessary Evil”

• Roberto Esquivel Morales of Mexico wrote “Leaving Paradise: Leave Comfort, Pursue Calling”

• Lauren Foster of Grove City, Ohio, wrote “Generational Divide: Bridging the Communication Gap and Creating Meaningful Connections”

• Karol Lopez-Ramirez of South Bend, Indiana, wrote “Finding God in Every Corner of the World”

• Jenna McAllister of Medina, Ohio, wrote “Sleep as Stewardship: The 7-Day Devotional on Restoring Your Body, Renewing Your Mind, and Trusting God in a Restless World”

• Isabel Oberbrunner of Lewis Center, Ohio, wrote “Faith That Speaks: Sharing the Gospel Naturally in Everyday Life”

• Keegan Oberbrunner of Lewis Center, Ohio, wrote “The Dummy’s Guide To Starting Your Landscaping Business: How To Make Real Money Outdoors”

• Claire Robey of Lebanon, Ohio, wrote “Sincerely: Reviving the Lost Art of Letter Writing”

• Elmor Rodriguez of Columbus, Ohio, wrote “Protecting Your Heart, Volume 1”

• Caleb Strunk of Norfolk, Virginia, wrote “The Call: Making a Gospel Impact in the Waterfowl Community”

• Cassidy Thompson of Ruskin, Florida, wrote “Overwhelmed to Confident: Stop Stressing, Choose Purposefully, Enjoy Your Photos”

• Ray Tillar of Westerville, Ohio, wrote “Exposing: Where Feelings Are Remembered in Words and Addressed in the Light”

About Cedarville University

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.