Community Corner
Oswego, Yorkville collegians key AU sales team
Oswego and Yorkville residents were among Aurora University sales students who earned honors from the 16th National Collegiate Sales Competition at Kennesaw (Ga.) State University March 29–31.
Competing against 134 undergraduate students from across the nation, AU students earned 25th and 85th places and the AU team finished 28th among 67 teams.
AU’s team, called the AU American Marketing Association Selling Team, included two student contestants and four student coaches. Competing for AU were Marisela Soto, a senior finance major from Aurora; and Abe Messieha, junior marketing major, Glen Ellyn.
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Soto placed 25th of 134 contestants and Messieha took 85th place.
Attending the competition as student coaches were juniors Taylor Herodes, Yorkville, and Hajar Zaki, Oswego; and seniors Sean Leaf of Rock Falls and Justin Bose, Ann Arbor, Mich.
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Faculty adviser was Shawn Green, Professor of Marketing and Vernon Haase Professor of Business.
The was the sixth year AU participated in the competition.
Assembled at a post-contest meeting last week, students reflected on their experiences. Several reported being offered internships, interviews and post-graduation jobs at the contest.
Leaf said he received several interviews and 15 job offers from the event. Messieha, vice president of AU’s American Marketing Association selling team, reported four offers.
AU’s Dunham School of Business offers a bachelor’s degree professional selling and sales management minor. The track is designed for students who are interested in developing stronger sales and prospecting skills, including tools for motivation and effective selling systems.
The 2014 NCSC hosted 67 undergraduate teams, eight graduate teams, and 60 corporate sponsors interested in offering sales careers.
The NCSC provides upcoming sales graduates a venue for sharpening their sales skills in a highly competitive environment and networking with their peers and sales faculty from across the United States.
Inaugurated in 1999, the NCSC is the largest and oldest sales role-play competition in existence.
The event includes a live tournament-style student sales role-play competition, networking opportunities and a sales-exclusive career fair.
Competing students are involved in collegiate programs that provide either an emphasis or a major in professional selling.
Sales professionals judge contestants on approach, needs identification, product/service presentation, overcoming objections, close, communication skills and overall enthusiasm and confidence.
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