CONTACT:
- Chris Plouffe, Business Programs, 360/546-9147, plouffe@vancouver.wsu.edu
- Sheri Byrd, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360/546-9602, byrds@vancouver.wsu.edu
Vancouver, Wash. - Two soon-to-be graduating marketing majors from Washington State University Vancouver suddenly have more job offers than they can sort through, and more arriving in their e-mail inboxes each day.
In the National Collegiate Sales Competition in Atlanta March 16 - 17, Nate Scholz finished first overall out of 88 contestants, and senior Ashley Wayman finished 5th. The 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø marketing majors were there representing all of WSU.
Because of Scholz and Wayman's combined performance, WSU placed 1st overall, out-selling two-person teams from such university business schools as Harvard, Indiana, Purdue, University of Connecticut, University of Georgia, University of Houston, University of Washington and dozens of others.
The students earned their place in the national competition by winning in the local rounds at 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Dec. 1. In addition to marketing degrees, both students are earning their Certificate in Professional Sales.
At both events, students competed by conducting a 20 minute mock sales call on a mock buyer, a volunteer from the business community. The judges from the real business world scored them on their ability to ask good questions, effectively build rapport with the prospect, present an effective solution, and - most importantly - close, or secure a business commitment from the buyer. Recruiters from major businesses were on hand to watch all mock interviews through closed-circuit television. For more information on the NCSC, visit
"Sometimes, they would be waiting outside the interview room with a job offer as soon we finished," said Scholz, a 23 year old who returned to college for after working in numerous sales fields. "I just couldn't move in to higher level corporate sales without more education."
"We burned the candle at both ends and in the middle," said Wayman, 22, of the four months of preparation while going to school full time and working part time. "We worked with Chris Plouffe, our coach, after class three times a week, video taping and critiquing possible competition scenes. He was really there for us."
For more information on 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø business programs, visit .
91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205. 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø offers 14 Bachelor's degrees, nine Master's degrees and one Doctorate degree and more than 35 fields of study. Visit us on the Web at
Photos, click thumbnails for high resolution images
NCSC1: Nate Scholz, marketing professor Chris Plouffe and Ashley Wayman pose with hard- earned trophies from the National Collegiate Sales Competition March 17 near Atlanta, where the Vancouver team took first place for Washington State University. The trophies will soon mean hard-earned salaries and commissions for the top performers.
NCSC2: Nate Scholz, winner of the 2007 National Collegiate Sales Competition and 91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø marketing senior, enters a room for a mock sales call during the competition.