Ten River Hawks Attend Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition
Image by courtesy
Ten UML students represented the Manning School of Business at the recent Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
12/21/2023
By Ed Brennen
Baez got a taste of what it’s like to be on the other side of the table at the recent Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. He finished second in the Spanish speed sell competition, in which he had to face a panel of judges and deliver a 60-second elevator pitch in Spanish about what makes him a good salesperson.
“Understanding how another side of sales works was an amazing experience,” says Baez, an Honors College student from Norwood, Massachusetts, with concentrations in international business and management.
Senior business major Julia Marino, who also works as an intern at ALKU, finished in the top 12 in the general speed sell competition.
“It was definitely a bit nerve-wracking, but it was a good experience, and I’m glad I did it,” Marino says of the two-day competition, which drew 228 students from 25 schools.
The Manning School team was captained by senior Joseph Dunn, who also attended last year’s competition. He was joined by fellow business students Jay Cordon, Melody Veloz, Jason McKeon, Avery Shaw and Salah Farouqi, as well as mechanical engineering major Abdullah Jasim and computer science major Atena Jasim — both business minors.
Deborah Casey, associate teaching professor of marketing, entrepreneurship and innovation, advises the team, which is sponsored by ALKU.
In addition to the speed sell event, students took part in a 10-minute case competition, in which they had to play the role of an account manager for an international staffing firm offering its services to a potential client. Students received the case study several weeks ahead of the competition.
Sponsored by 19 companies, including Amazon Web Services, Aetna and Insight Global, the competition also featured networking opportunities for students.
McKeon, a senior from Haverhill, Massachusetts, with concentrations in international business and finance, had a half-dozen companies contact him for internship interviews.
Farouqi, a sophomore from Melrose, Massachusetts, with concentrations in finance and analytics and operations management, says the experience “reinforced that in sales, continuous learning and adaptability” are key.
“I am eager to bring the lessons I learned to my current and future roles, ensuring success in evolving and challenging situations,” says Farouqi, who works as a sales consultant for TCC, a Verizon authorized retailer.
The team plans to compete again this spring at an event hosted by ALKU.
“The team bonded so well and motivated each other when we were nervous,” says Baez, who is president of UML’s senior class. “That’s who we are in the business school — so united.”