Amazing work by the RMU AMA

I wanted to share some of the successes the RMU AMA chapter has achieved so far. It should be noted much of the success this year can be attributed to the marketing faculty. 

MEMBERSHIP: Currently, 68 members are signed up as paid members of the organization, which is a new record (and exceeded our revised goal of 65 members)! AMA is not only the largest organization within the School of Business, it is now one of the largest organizations on-campus This would have not been possible without our faculty members welcoming the group into the classroom. In addition, almost every marketing professor had a referral attached to a member's registration form. Below are a few of highlights of our membership recruitment:

• Faculty referrals and in-class visits accounted for ~30% of all generated memberships. 
• Underclassmen membership doubled to 42% from last year.
• The gender gap closed within the organization. Females used to outnumber males 2:1; the demographic levels are now balanced.
• 60% of members opt for mobile payment, which is in-line with last year's mobile payment launch. 
• 25% of members are not marketing majors; 12 different majors are represented within the organization. 

MARKETING WEEK: I am proud to announce Marketing Week was very successful; attendance  increased 222% over last year. The organization adopted a new strategy for this week-long event. Only two of five events were open to all students, which created a perception of exclusivity for paid members. In addition, a unique mix of experiences was offered to members (such as a certificate program), which created value-added opportunities and encouraged members to attend multiple sessions. 

CHAPTER PLAN: The organization submitted its chapter plan immediately following Marketing Week. Special thanks to Dr. Marco for reviewing and critiquing the chapter plan; she spent a few hours with me on revisions and provided numerous ideas for the community outreach and fundraising sections. Twenty-six new events, activities, or functions will be implemented for continuous improvement of the organization, in addition to a number of existing ones. I attached a copy of the chapter plan. If there is anything in the plan in which a faculty member would like to assist, we would be gracious for any support!

REGIONAL CONFERENCE: The organization travelled to the University of Toledo last weekend to attend a regional AMA conference. Four members and three officers took advantage of this opportunity. Emily Nobers and I competed at the last-minute in a marketing strategy competition; we received first place!

UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES: 

• AMA is hosting a Yankee Candle fundraiser; we receive 40% net proceeds. If anyone is interested in purchasing a candle, please reach out to one of the offifcers or myself. 
• A canned food drive is taking place through next week. Please encourage any of your students to drop off non-perishable food items in front of Jill's door. 
• In partnership with the Massey Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, AMA is hosting a Monthly Marketer Speaker Series during Entrepreneurship Week. Lawyers from K&L Gates will discuss "Protecting your Brand", which deals with patents, trademarks, and other intellectual property owned by a firm or oneself. The event is Tuesday, November 14 at 2PM in Hopwood Hall. Please encourage your students to attend (we will take attendance if any faculty member needs a list). 

Thanks again for all of the support this school year. The officers and I look forward to a continued partnership between the faculty and students!

David Bursic, Jr.,  AMA President