Students Showcase Sales Skills in Speed Sell Showdown

Two Saint Rose students successfully competed in the National Shore Sales Challenge at Salsbury University in Maryland from April 4 to April 6. Hosted by Salisbury’s Mid-Atlantic Sales and Marketing Institute (MASMI), eighty students from 38 universities participated in a simulated sales environment (role play) and gave employers their own version of a 90-second elevator pitch.

Jada Brown, a biology major, and Lexie Grassia, a business administration major, who will graduate in May, did well in the competition. Jada advanced to the semi-finals in the role-play competition.

“We met twice a week with our coaches, Professor Delaney and Dr. Dion,” Grassia said. “We focused on learning all of the information in depth so we would be able to answer any question thrown at us. Jada and I bounced ideas off each other to better our original material.”

The competition also included a job fair, allowing students to connect with hiring managers seeking entry-level positions.

“Regardless of the outcome, the students learned so much that they will be able to carry forward,” stated Kristen Delaney. “They learned how to hone a pitch about themselves, highlighting characteristics that would make them a good candidate for a position with a company, and practiced networking with other students and professors/coaches from around the country. They learned that preparation and practice are key to performance, and asking the right questions can help you probe deeper to gather insights. I think participating in the competition helps boost their confidence.”

The three-day competition featured colleges and universities nationwide, including  Penn State, Purdue University, Temple University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Virginia Tech.

“It was such a great experience competing against other schools,” Brown said. “It showed me that even though we have a tiny university, we truly have exceptional professors who educate us enough to compete with universities with over 50,000 students. It doesn’t matter how small of a school you attend it matters the type of professor you have and the passion they show to develop their students.”

Dion emphasized that he’s very proud that Jada and Lexi represented the institution incredibly well in the College’s final sales competition.