Elmhurst Students Win International Conference Awards

The Elmhurst College chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) was one of only four AMA chapters nationwide to receive an AMA Outstanding Community Service Award this spring. Elmhurst competed with more than 250 other college across the nation for the honor, which was awarded this year for the first time. The Elmhurst group also won an AMA award for outstanding communications.

The Community Service Award recognized the Elmhurst chapter's research work for two local organizations, the Elmhurst Economic Development Committee (EEDC) and the Business Ledger, a weekly business newspaper. After developing and administering surveys for each organization, the Elmhurst students analyzed the results and presented the organizations with comprehensive reports on their findings. Both reports will have lasting impact for the clients: The EEDC plans to use its findings for guidance in drawing more students to the downtown Elmhurst area, and the Ledger will turn to the report to help expand its subscriber base and solicit advertising.

As part of the competition for the awards, the Elmhurst students prepared a marketing plan at the beginning of the academic year detailing their projects and goals for the year. At the conclusion of the year, the students compiled an annual report to document the successful completion of the year's plan.

The awards were announced at the AMA's International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans this spring. The Elmhurst chapter's participation in the conference was made possible in part by funding support from the Center for Professional Excellence. Elmhurst students in attendance at the conference were Paige Berogan, Anne Curran, Tatiana Kocur, and Tiffany Kroll.

"The community service award is quite an honor, especially since we were competing against much larger schools," says Paige Berogan, the president of the Elmhurst AMA chapter and an international business major. "It's brought us international recognition for our efforts."

Terry Madoch, associate professor in Elmhurst's Center for Business and Economics, serves as the chapter's faculty sponsor. "This is a special honor for us," he says. "Over the years we've received many awards from the AMA for outstanding projects, but this is the first time we've been singled out as one of the top chapters in this international organization.

The community service award included a $500 prize to foster future community service activities.

[Adapted from CPE Newsletter, Volume I, Issue 3, August 2000]