50 Huskers begin sales excellence program

Fifty University of Nebraska–Lincoln students have been selected for the Undergraduate Certificate in Sales Excellence Program in the College of Business. With the credential offered by the Center for Sales Excellence, students sharpen communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills sought by employers.

The group represents 12 majors and four colleges. The application process for the program, open to all Nebraska undergraduates, includes submitting a resume and statement of interest and earning a minimum GPA. Once admitted, students begin courses taught by sales and marketing faculty in the College of Business the following semester.

“We’re excited to welcome these students into the program and know they are bound to do great things,” said Chad Mardesen, director of the Center for Sales Excellence, Robert D. Hays Distinguished Chair of Sales Excellence and associate professor of practice in marketing. “Companies recruit here because they know our students have the skills to succeed.”

Students can begin the certificate earlier than ever by taking Sales Communication (MRKT 257) as early as their first year. The course is part of the College of Business undergraduate core curriculum launched last fall. Non-business majors can also take the course and pursue the certificate, giving students across the university more time to discover the program and participate.

“In years past, the program primarily enrolled juniors and seniors,” Mardesen said. “Now, we have more first- and second-year students beginning the certificate, which means we could work with them for as many as four years. That additional time can help students strengthen their sales skills, prepare for internships and take full advantage of competitions, networking and other experiences. It may also encourage more students to complete the Advanced Certificate in Sales Excellence, which requires just one additional three-credit-hour course.”

With students in both the previous and new undergraduate curricula participating, the program has grown to nearly 230 students, its highest enrollment to date.

Nearly all students in the program secure full-time positions before graduation, with recent employers including Dell, Deloitte, Gallup, HubSpot, Mutual of Omaha, Oracle, Union Pacific and Walt Disney Company. Corporate partners regularly engage with students through networking events, internships and hands-on learning experiences.

Founded in 2013, the Center for Sales Excellence has been named a top university program for professional sales education by the Sales Education Foundation every year since 2014.

Students pursuing the undergraduate certificate in sales excellence are listed below by hometown, with their class standing and academic major(s).

Nebraska

Bellevue:

• Nolan Fitzpatrick, junior, marketing

Bennington:

• Gloria Williams, junior, marketing and business analytics

Brainard:

• Kurtis Baer, sophomore, management

Elkhorn:

• Hannah McWilliams, sophomore, advertising and public relations

Gering:

• Amalie Gutierrez, sophomore, marketing

Grand Island:

• Landon Conner, sophomore, finance
• Zachary Fausch, junior, business and law
• Krae Wardyn, sophomore, marketing

Gretna:

• Kennedy Richardson, junior, marketing

Hickman:

• Kyra Hinrichs, junior, accounting and finance

La Vista:

• Samuel Shepoka, junior, marketing

Lincoln:

• Brooke Beran, senior, advertising and public relations
• Lainey Johnson, sophomore, advertising and public relations
• Caleb Krueger, junior, sports media and communication
• Gavin Postert, sophomore, marketing
• Benjamin Rorabaugh, junior, marketing
• Keith Hallock, sophomore, marketing

Milford:

• Dominick Roth, sophomore, marketing

North Platte:

• Amelia Wenburg, junior, business administration

O'Neill:

• Oliver Schluns, junior, management

Omaha:

• Vanessa Bejar-Williams, junior, management
• Nathan Buroker, junior, marketing
• Keara Frampton, sophomore, sports media and communication, and advertising and public relations
• Jordan Gassen, junior, marketing
• Lance Heller, junior, business and law
• Mariah Kelly, junior, marketing
• Dayvaney Lynch, junior, management and marketing
• Alex Runge, junior, business and law
• Megan Tyrcha, junior, marketing and management

Raymond:

• Jacob Schultz, junior, management

Seward:

• Hank Hughes, junior, management

Elsewhere in the U.S.

Orange, California:

• Tucker Fuchs, sophomore, business administration

Parker, Colorado:

• Andrew Heisinger, junior, marketing

Plainfield, Illinois:

• Ella Zelenski, sophomore, communication studies

St. Charles, Illinois:

• Ava Poss, sophomore, business administration and marketing

Spring Grove, Illinois:

• Mitchell Kelly, sophomore, accounting

Indianapolis, Indiana:

• Ella Christensen, sophomore, business and law

Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan:

• Margaret O'Brien, sophomore, marketing

Cologne, Minnesota:

• Levi Mueller, junior, marketing

Lakeville, Minnesota:

• Addison Hedrick, sophomore, supply chain management

Mantorville, Minnesota:

• Jacey Heidt, junior, marketing

Minnetrista, Minnesota:

• Isaac Smith, sophomore, finance

Waconia, Minnesota:

• Adam Masog, junior, marketing

Woodbury, Minnesota:

• Caleb Lefebvre, sophomore, finance and marketing

Dakota Dunes, South Dakota:

• Dylan Lukken, sophomore, finance

Sioux Falls, South Dakota:

• Hayden Gorra, sophomore, management
• Easton Miller, sophomore, accounting

Yankton, South Dakota:

• Annie Baumann, junior, nutrition and health sciences

Hudson, Wisconsin:

• Kaitlyn Sanders, sophomore, marketing

Marshfield, Wisconsin:

• Drew Lang, sophomore, nutrition and health sciences