40 Husker students begin sales excellence program

Thirty-four students in business attire pose on a staircase in Hawks Hall.

The Center for Sales Excellence at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln welcomed 40 new students into the Undergraduate Certificate of Sales Excellence Program at an induction ceremony in February.

Forty University of Nebraska–Lincoln students have been selected for the Undergraduate Certificate of Sales Excellence Program in the College of Business. With the special professional selling credential from the Center for Sales Excellence, students hone the communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills that employers seek.

“Well-known national companies in multiple industries recruit from our sales program and come back on a regular basis because they are pleased with the students they hired,” said Ravi Sohi, department chair and professor of marketing, Robert D. Hays Distinguished Chair of Sales Excellence and executive director of the Center for Sales Excellence. “They value the skills we help our students develop in the program — skills that are relevant not only to sales, but to any job that requires building relationships with people.”

Sohi added that nearly all the program’s students have a job upon graduation. Companies that recently hired sales students include Dell, Deloitte, Gallup, Hubspot, Mutual of Omaha, NRC Health, Oracle, Sandhills Global, Union Pacific and Walt Disney Company.

“Students who apply for the program are very motivated and willing to put in the extra work that is required for all the sales courses they’ll take,” he said. “They are interested in earning the extra credential provided by the certificate and are aware of its value to potential employers.”

Students in business attire interact with corporate partners in the Henrickson Family Atrium in Hawks Hall. — Sales students meet with the center’s corporate partners at their induction ceremony.

Founded in 2013, the Center for Sales Excellence has been named a top university for professional sales education by the Sales Education Foundation every year since 2014-15. Students in the center connect with corporate partners and have opportunities to compete at national and international sales competitions.

The program’s new students represent nine majors and three colleges. The application process for the program, open to all students at the university, includes submitting a resume and statement of interest. Once selected, students begin taking courses taught by sales and marketing faculty in the College of Business the following semester.

“Students love the program and the faculty who teach their classes,” Sohi said. “We don’t just teach them, but help them develop as individuals with job skills that give them an edge in the marketplace. Companies love our students. It’s a winning combination.”

The students pursuing their undergraduate certificate of sales excellence are listed below by hometown, with their year in school and academic major(s).

Nebraska

Ashland: Parker Poole, sophomore, business administration
Beatrice: Joshua Buhr, sophomore, finance
Bellevue: Andrea Boslaugh, junior, marketing
Bennington: Evan Tomlinson, sophomore, marketing
Brainard: Reid Glasshoff, sophomore, business administration
Elkhorn: Ben Hastreiter, senior, marketing; Nolan Lane, sophomore, marketing; Reagan Moritz, junior, marketing
Grand Island: Carson Wolfe, sophomore, marketing
Greenwood: Briana Sulentic, junior, economics
Gretna: Dane Westengaard, junior, marketing
Lincoln: Nicolas Deaver, sophomore, finance; Kate Peterson, sophomore, marketing; TJ Stanek, junior, marketing; Joe Sutko, sophomore, marketing
Omaha: Ellie Anglim, sophomore, business administration; Cooper DeWolfe, sophomore, finance; Caroline Dubisar, sophomore, marketing; Bekki Franco, junior, pre-health; Alec Franksmann, freshman, finance; Simon Hanus, junior, business administration; Colin Herdzina, sophomore, finance; Andrew Jiron, junior, business administration and music; Sydney Moore, junior, business administration; Catelyn Rodenbiker, senior, marketing
Papillion: Ethan Schroeder, sophomore, finance
Pender: Trey Johnson, sophomore, marketing
Plattsmouth: Joe Vrtiska, sophomore, business administration
Waterloo: Jonah Harrison, sophomore, accounting and finance