By Anna Mayes
Elm Staff Writer
The American Marketing Association (AMA) is a club that is found on most college campuses and is recognized nationally and internationally for its public relations and communications. With 76 professional chapters and 250 collegiate chapters, AMA provides more resources needed for marketers and academics to be successful than any other organization.
On Sept. 20, the Student Government Association approved a motion to recognize AMA as a campus club. The club was started two years ago under Professor Terry Scout, but it became dormant when there wasn’t really a push to do things.
Recently, the Business Department, has been pushing to allow many marketing projects to come on board. Under Professor Ryan Eanes ,there is hope that Washington College’s chapter of AMA will become a real success.
“There has never been a more fertile time to be passionate about marketing as a student here at WC,” club president senior Mason Sheen said.
The club has been working hard to prepare for their Marketing Week which will be held sometime in October. The theme will be announced soon.
“We are planning on bringing in some really cool professionals as well as hosting several events to help students with marketing, PR, and communications,” Sheen said.
He feels that Marketing Week at WC will be a very prominent event and believes that each year bigger and better names will be at the events.
“This is an event that I hope the students will be looking forward to every year, and I hope that our competition team will get more refined each year and highly sought after, not only at WC, but all over the nation.”
The club will also participate in a competition that gives students the opportunity to solve real problems of nationally-recongized companies. The club will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the companies at a conference held in New Orleans over Spring Break.
For this year, the team will be working on an eBay case study. “We have to come up with a full marketing plan for eBay and then present our plan against all other AMA chapters,” said Secretary Sarah Wieder.
Members of AMA have a lot of opportunities to network, which can lead to job offers. Wieder said that in the past the winners have been offered jobs by the companies at the conference.
“This will give us the chance to work together as a club, showcase our skills, network with other chapters and companies, and apply the knowledge that we have learned in our marketing classes here at WC,” he said.
The club members see the future of AMA as being incredibly strong. “We put a lot of thought and strategic planning to make sure that the club is a sustainable, thriving, club that everyone can find something that they’re looking for within,” said Sheen.
The club meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Daly 108. Members have many ways that they can get involved and membership carries over even after graduation.
“We currently have about 65 members of all ages,” Sheen said during his presentation at Tuesday’s SGA senate meeting. There are many scholarship opportunities, as well as an honor society for upper classmen who are marketing minors with a cumulative GPA of 3.25.