Michigan Tech’s business students are stepping it up. This year two members of Michigan Tech’s American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter, Mairi Smith-Risk (President) and Tracy Payne, attended the 30th Annual International Collegiate American Marketing Association conference and walked away with two international awards.

Smith-Risk entered Michigan Tech’s chapter into multiple competitions including International Collegiate Chapter of the Year, Most Outstanding New Chapter of the Year, Outstanding Efforts in Fundraising and Professional Development, and the Case Competition. They competed with over 120 chapters and thousands of students from around the world. Michigan Tech’s AMA chapter was awarded Outstanding Efforts in Fundraising and Most Outstanding New Chapter of the Year.

Michigan Tech was awarded the Most Outstanding New Chapter due to the many professional development projects and activities they participated in. During the past academic year, Michigan Tech’s AMA chapter wrote a marketing plan for Challenge X, which they were awarded money for, competed in a case competition and wrote a marketing plan for McGraw Hill, developed marketing publications for the American Motorsports Team, created a promotional plan for the Library Restaurant, completed research for the Leadership Acceleration Team, and created a trade show booth and marketing publications for SAE enterprises.

Many members attended a plant trip to Chicago in conjunction with Phi Beta Lambda. While in Chicago they toured an advertising agency, a financial firm, the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks stadium, and the Chicago Board of Options. Members also attended a regional AMA conference in Illinois, worked on five fundraisers this year and increased membership by nearly 200 percent.

The trip to New Orleans for the International Collegiate American Marketing Association conference was sponsored by the Office of Student Life and the Parent’s Fund of the Michigan Tech Fund, the School of Business and Economics Dean’s Fund, Michigan Tech’s AMA chapter, the Undergraduate Student Government, Mairi Smith-Risk, and Tracy Payne.

If you would like to be involved in Michigan Tech’s AMA chapter, contact Mairi Smith-Risk at mnsmith@mtu.edu.