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K-State Today

May 29, 2020

National Strategic Selling Institute awards more than $10,000 to spring 2020 Merit Award Winners

Submitted by Dana Parker

National Strategic Selling Institute

More than $10,000 in merit awards were distributed to 42 students by the National Strategic Selling Institute.

The Student Merit Awards are based on students' participation and performance in the Marketing 570 Advanced Selling classes that raise funds for the annual benefit auction. Due to COVID-19, the eighth Annual Benefit Auction was canceled. Students continued to reach out to individuals despite not being able to meet with their class in person. The four top-performing students earned the Ninja Sales Cat Award in recognition of class performance. Additionally, 10 students earned merit awards as finalists in a role-play competition hosted by Security Benefit Corporation of Topeka, Kansas.

Earning top performer in the Ninja Sales Cat award, along with $1,500, was Morgan Meadows, junior in entrepreneurship, Dallas, Texas. Additional winners of the Ninja Sales Cat award included Kylee White, junior in professional strategic selling, Overland Park, $1,200; Lucas Johnson, junior in professional strategic selling, Shawnee, $1,000; and McKenna Dome, senior in professional strategic selling, Wichita, $800.    

Top performers in the Security Benefit Sales Competition included Paige Molstad, senior in kinesiology, Ellis, $400; and Kaitlyn Porter Moldrup, senior in management, Manhattan, $400. Other finalists included Adam Sale, junior in marketing, Branson, Missouri, $300; Rylee Walker, senior in mass communications, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, $300; Anna Arends, junior in professional strategic selling, Leawood, $200; McKenna Dome, senior in professional strategic selling, Wichita, $200; Ryan Henington, senior in professional strategic selling, Junction City, $200; Jenna Kibler, senior in animal sciences and industry, Manhattan, $100; Chase Vander Hart, junior in personal financial planning, Topeka, $100; Mindy Absher, junior in marketing, Overland Park, $50; and Dane Freberg, senior in professional strategic selling, Overland Park, $50. Porter Moldrup and Henington each earned a $50 bonus for the class favorite role-play performance as chosen by their classmates.

"I'm so proud of our sales students," said Dawn Deeter, director of the National Strategic Selling Institute. "Through this experience, they learned what it's like to be a professional salesperson, including making a sale and encountering rejection. Their task was especially difficult this year, as they made sales calls during a pandemic! In the face of incredible odds, they performed well and surpassed our expectations. Moreover, they now know the effort and persistence required to be successful in their sales careers."

The National Strategic Selling Institute is housed in the College of Business Administration and has been named one of the top sales programs in the country for nine straight years by the Sales Education Foundation. In fall 2018, Kansas State became just the 19th university in the U.S. to offer a major in sales. Students can also earn a certificate in professional strategic selling, which is open to all majors at the university. The professional strategic selling program introduces students to the fundamentals of sales and through the innovative curriculum and sales labs allows students to develop the skills needed to be successful.

For more information on the National Strategic Selling Institute, please contact kstatesalesprogram@k-state.edu