Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter received several top global awards at the AMA International Collegiate Conference in Chicago, according to an April 2 announcement. The event marked the group’s 70th anniversary and brought recognition from among more than 200 collegiate chapters worldwide.
The SIU chapter was named one of the Top 10 Small Chapters globally. The group also earned second place in the Marketing Week Competition and achieved a “commendable” ranking in the international Case Competition, placing them among the top 40 chapters worldwide. Several students participated in live contests during the conference.
“These achievements highlight the dedication of our students and chapter to teamwork, innovation and real-world marketing application,” said Christie Mitchell, marketing instructor and AMA adviser. “The ongoing efforts of these students and their preparation for this conference are truly impressive.”
Nearly 1,900 people attended the conference, including almost 1,500 students from over 150 AMA chapters. SIU’s Top 10 Chapter Award recognized an extensive annual report detailing all projects and activities completed by members during the past year.
“Winning the Top 10 Small Chapter recognition is a tremendous honor and a goal we set at the beginning of the year,” said Paige Bisping, AMA chapter president. “Each student contributed to making this year overall and at the conference such a big success. I’m very proud to lead such an outstanding group.”
Highlights from SIU’s report included being named registered student organization of the year for their college; successful placement of recent graduates into careers or graduate school; volunteerism on- and off-campus; increased membership through new tracking systems; improved communication networks; efforts toward inclusivity; professional development events; networking opportunities with industry experts; guest speakers like alumnus Allen C. Shelton; as well as hosting a second annual Marketing Week celebration that earned international honors.
Mitchell said: “Marketing Week alone involves months of planning, fundraising, proposal writing and work… Their hard work and efforts have continued, led by Paige Bisping, our extraordinary president. They have proven themselves all year long, kicking off our 70th anniversary quite impressively.”
Five SIU students also competed in live challenges ranging from strategy competitions to perfect pitch presentations against universities around the world. Teaching assistant Jade McCalla supported preparations for these events.
The SIU AMA provides its members with professional development opportunities through competitions, networking events, projects with business partners such as Clemens Insurance and Southern Illinois Bank—helping them build skills relevant to future careers.
