Salve Regina’s AMA chapter is recognized as top 10 in the country
Students in Salve Regina’s American Marketing Association (AMA) collegiate chapter were recognized by the AMA Collegiate Chapters Council in three categories this year: Outstanding Chapter Planning, Outstanding Community and Social Impact and Outstanding Membership Strategies. The Salve Regina AMA chapter also ranked within the Top 10 Small School Chapters in the country.
“I think this is a big accomplishment for us as a club to get recognized, because for the past few years we’ve definitely been rebuilding our club from the ground up,” said Matthew Sordi ’20, president of Salve Regina’s AMA chapter. “This is just another step in the right direction.”
Some of the current e-board members of Salve Regina’s AMA chapter pictured at their AMA Alumni Night in fall 2019.
The American Marketing Association is a professional marketing association with over 30,000 active members. The AMA Collegiate Chapters Council holds competitions throughout the academic year to help university chapters learn valuable marketing and networking skills before students graduate, as well as network within the AMA itself for job opportunities after graduation.
“We’re part of a bigger professional organization,” said Samantha Rivera ’21, vice president of membership. “So for me, a lot of the work we do is really to prepare us … for the workforce and not just be in college.”
The Council also hosts its annual AMA International Collegiate Conference every spring where university chapters across the country come to compete in-person in a variety of marketing challenges. Chapters must qualify to be able to get into the conference, and Salve Regina’s club was proud that they qualified.
But because of coronavirus pandemic, Salve Regina’s students were not able to attend the AMA International Collegiate Conference and participate in on-site competitions that were being held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Even though they couldn’t attend, the AMA Collegiate Chapters Council still reviewed the chapter’s Annual Plan and Annual Report and recognized the chapter for their accomplishments.
While the club itself has 21 members, the work they’ve done has impacted many students across campus. The AMA students worked together to implement the Marketing Alumni Networking Night in October 2019, which was attended by over 50 students.
“I went to the networking event before I joined AMA,” described Caroline Chapell ’23, who was brand new to Salve Regina in fall 2019. “It was early into the school year … but it really showed me how these students and this organization put something together that could really benefit Salve’s community in general with networking.” Chapell joined the club and was able to serve as interim vice president of membership in spring 2020.
The chapter also launched a month-long drive in fall 2019 and collected 427 hygiene items for Amenity Aid, a nonprofit that provides essential items to people in need. It was started by a Salve Regina alumnus named Elizabeth Duggan ’08.
“In addition to the drive, we actually went to Amenity Aid and made 250 hygiene kits,” said Evangeline Reid ’20. “It was great to see some of the freshmen engaged in that as well. It was great to meet new people and all come together in community.”
Through sales of department sweatshirts and donations made as a result of social media posts, the Salve Regina AMA also raised $2,726 for the Judith Keenan Scholarship Fund. They implemented a Marketing Week in October 2019, which consisted of numerous speakers and activities throughout the week, and they’ve developed a video to use for their own chapter recruiting efforts in the future. They’ve organized 15 guest speakers, completed two field trips, three professional development programs, five marketing competitions, six chapter meetings, and one club social over the past academic year, among other things.
The Salve Regina AMA raised $2,726 for the Judith Keenan Scholarship Fund in fall 2019.
It was great to be recognized for their hard work by the AMA International Collegiate Conference, and the club is excited to continue to grow upon these achievements next year. And for anyone interested in getting involved next year, Salve Regina’s AMA chapter wants to be clear that the club is not just for marketing or business majors.
“AMA is definitely a great club for anyone looking to develop skills just for their career or personal brand,” said Kaitlin Brilhante ’21, vice president of professional development.
The 2019-2020 Executive Board for AMA was led by Matthew Sordi ’20, president. E-board members included Evangeline Reid ’20, vice president of community service; Hannah Kmetz ’20, vice president of communications; Allison Gilson ’20, vice president of finance and fundraising; Kaitlyn Brilhante ’21, vice president of professional development and programming; Sam Rivera ’21, vice president of membership; and Caroline Chapell, interim vice president of membership.
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