Sales program again nationally recognized for excellence

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University's sales and business marketing program was identified for the 12th consecutive year by the Sales Education Foundation as a top national program that both prepares students for careers in professional selling and helps elevate the sales profession. With 320 students and more than 1,600 alumni, WMU's program is one of the largest in the country.

"Our faculty works hard to provide a rigorous curriculum, setting our students up to excel," says Dr. Steve Newell, professor of marketing and a member of the sales faculty. "The recent renovation and expansion of the Robert S. Kaiser Sales, Negotiation and Leadership Lab ensure that students have the opportunity to practice the skills they learn in the classroom in a real-life setting, giving them even more experiences to demonstrate their skill and expertise in the field of sales."

One hundred percent of WMU sales and business marketing students find full-time careers or are continuing their education within three months of graduation, and 98 percent of these graduates are engaged in a job related to their degree. The WMU sales program is regularly lauded for its achievements in a number of areas.

Program highlights

• Student competition successes—Teams from WMU consistently place in the top 10 at national sales competitions, with one student recently placing first at the University of Toledo Invitational Sales Competition. In five of the last six years, at least one student has placed first or second in the State Farm Sales and Marketing Competition, and in 2014, WMU's team placed first overall among the universities competing.
• Robert S. Kaiser Sales, Negotiation and Leadership Lab—Students role-play in the state-of-the-art Robert S. Kaiser Sales, Negotiation and Leadership Lab. The lab includes enhanced ability to pinpoint areas for student improvement with detailed notes embedded in videos of the exercises. Students also have the opportunity to share footage with prospective hiring managers.
• Sales and Business Marketing Association—The association is one of the largest and most active student organizations in the college with more than 125 members. The group hosts an employer at each weekly meeting, giving students an opportunity to engage with industry professionals.
• Study abroad—Sales students are one of the largest groups at WMU to study abroad, gaining a global perspective on business.
• National recognition—The program has been No. 1 on the list of Top U.S. Sales Schools by study.com since 2007.

For more information, contact Newell at steve.newell@wmich.edu or (269) 387-6166.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.