SUNY Plattsburgh Marketing Club Wins Awards at International Conference
SUNY Plattsburgh’s Marketing Club, part of the Collegiate Chapter of the American Marketing Association, took home two awards from the 35th annual International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans.
The awards included best event for the “AMA Saves Lives” program and the Exemplary Collegiate Chapter Performance for Outstanding Professional Development, based on the chapter’s plans and annual report that included programming, fundraising and community service goals.
The club’s win did not come as a surprise to Dr. Nancy Church, chair of the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship and faculty adviser to the club.
Productive Club
“In all of the years that I've served as their faculty adviser, since 1978, this was the most exciting and productive year that the club has ever had,” she said.
The club’s award for best event was for the numerous programs held to encourage the registration of organ donation through AMA’s philanthropy, Donate Life America. The local chapter registered about 40 new organ donors. Dozens of colleges participated, but SUNY Plattsburgh was one of only eight that won.
Conference attendees participated in competitions and attended professional presentations, meetings and networking events. According to Ashley Culbertson, treasurer of the Marketing Club, students were able to implement concepts learned in the classroom into the business simulation competition.
Better Selves Based on Experience
“We took everything we learned from our marketing classes as well as all of our business classes and put it into a computer model,” she said.
The group also learned how other chapters handle programming, fundraising and membership.
“We know what other schools are doing, and now we can potentially better ours just based on the experiences of others,” said Club President Kathryn Piacentino. “There are a lot of events that can apply to everyone, not only business students, that are fun and interactive.”
According to Church, the club will benefit from those who attended the conference.
“Several of them were underclassmen who gained an understanding of how the AMA operates and what it takes to have a great AMA chapter,” she said. “They will be able to provide continuity and experience to the membership of next year's Marketing Club.”