May 18, 2018
K-State sales team wins Western States Collegiate Sales Competition
Submitted by Brent Fritzemeier
The Kansas State University sales team finished up the spring semester by beating a field of 19 other universities to win first place at the 2018 Western States Collegiate Sales Competition.
Hosted by California State University April 19-20 in Chico, California, the competition asked competitors to take part in a sale role-play scenario featuring competition sponsor Henry Schein, a leading health care products and services company.
Making up the winning team at the contest were Jacqueline Clawson, senior in marketing and agricultural economics, Meade; Rachel Kipper, senior in marketing, Olathe; and Kelcy Fiser, senior in marketing, and Abbie O'Grady, sophomore in marketing, both from Overland Park. In addition to the team win, all four K-State team members qualified for one of 12 finalist spots in the individual competition out of 72 competitors, with O'Grady taking fourth overall, and Kipper placing fifth.
Sales competitions allow students to test their selling skills against their peers from other universities with a focus in sales through role play scenarios. Marketing instructor David Lehman is the head coach for the K-State sales team.
"I am very proud of this team for winning this competition in such dramatic fashion," Lehman said. "We've never had four students and the entire team make it to the finals in a competition. I'm especially proud of the way they worked together to win."
The K-State sales team is housed in the College of Business Administration's National Strategic Selling Institute, which has been named one of the top sales programs in the country for seven straight years by the Sales Education Foundation. Students can earn a certificate in professional strategic selling from the National Strategic Selling Institute, which is open to all majors at the university. The certificate program introduces students to the fundamentals of sales and, through the innovative curriculum and sales labs, allows students to develop the skills needed to be successful.
Beginning in fall 2018, K-State will become just the 19th university in the U.S. to offer a sales major. For more information on the National Strategic Selling Institute, please contact kstatesalesprogram@k-state.edu.