Detroit Trip Recap!

A fantastic photo of the Windsor Skyline taken by member Skyler Mills.

This past Friday, 35 student members of the American Marketing Association of Grand Valley saddled up and rode out to the Motor City to tour Joe Louis Arena, Team Detroit, Carat Media, and the Detroit Beer Company.

Member Casey Knapp poses in front of the Joe.

Vice President of Membership Sarah Hoppie
smiles on the bus with member Justin Videto.

Using the hashtag #AMADoesDetroit, members were encouraged to live tweet and upload photos to Instagram to document the adventure.

Our first stop was Joe Louis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. Members were given personal tours of the "forgotten" press box, zamboni gate, super suites, fifth floor storehouse, and even the Legends Club. We even met the Red Wings' marketing managers and asked them questions!

Legends Club Bar. Photo by member Tawwney Sayre.

Bronze statue of the great Delvecchio.

After the Joe Louis Arena tour, members enjoyed lunch at Hockeytown Cafe, in the heart of downtown on Woodward Avenue, across from Comerica Park and next to the historic Fox Theater.

#MarketingFuel at its finest.

President Amanda Jakubowski and member Katie Hutchins at Hockeytown.

After lunch, members split up to attend the final tours of the day. At each tour, members learned about each individual company's marketing strategy, business plan, as well as potential internship opportunities for students. It was an exhausting but educational day of networking, marketing, and fun!

Speaker Bios for 11/21 #RoundTables

Erik Wolenberg, wolenbe1@gmail.com
Marketing and Public Relations at Gilda's Club Grand Rapids, Marketing Committee Member at Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Grand Rapids

Amber Jones, ajones@familyfutures.net>
Communication and Development Manager Family Futures

Jamie, jamie.tinker.heeringa@gmail.com
Jamie is a Costume Designer by trade and has designed costumes for the
Grand Rapids Ballet in the past as well as other Ballet's.  For the
past few years, Jaime has volunteered with Healthy Child, Healthy
World an organization with a mission to empower parents to take action
and protect their children from harmful chemicals in the world around
us.  She has volunteered at countless schools, churches, and
organizations to share her knowledge and help educate parents in
regards to the toxins in our environment.  In addition to this
organization, Jamie volunteers for NoGMO4Michigan and helps lead the
Grand Rapids Chapter.  She has extensive knowledge in regards to GMOs
(genetically modified organisms) and continues to share that knowledge
and engage with the citizens of Michigan to educate in regards to
healthier choices.  Jamie has a ton of passion and she pours that
passion into helping others and giving back to her community.

Christine Morse, christine@avidmarketing.net 
Avid Marketing LLC

Anne Mendels, Anne.Mendels@wwwinc.com
Talent Acquisition Manager for Wolverine Worldwide, Inc.

Bunmi Parks, bunmi.parks@cascadeng.com
HR Generalist at Cascade Engineering

Jesse Hertstein will be speaking on behalf of Amway. Jesse works in
Corporate Citizenship at Amway and was recognized by GRBJ as one of
the 40 under 40 in 2013.

Influenster #VarsityVoxBox Review

 Hello all, it's Rachel! As a member of Influenster, I'm given complementary products to try out and then review. I'm here today to tell you about these products I tested recently in my Varsity VoxBox.

Kiss & Makeup

I received a free set of these neat Kiss Nail Dress stickers. While they’re fairly easy to apply once you get the hang of it, your nail tips will always be bare from where you have to file away the sticker. The pattern I received was navy with pink polka dots, which I liked. I then made the mistake of applying topcoat, destroying my manicure. Otherwise I’m sure they would have lasted a while, but the glue damages your nails when you take them off. B-

Go Big

I like the New York Color brand a bunch (hello, cheap nail polish). The NYC Big Bold Gloss I received in my box is a nice shimmery pink and looks pretty, but it's not really any better than another brand of generic lip gloss. It does smell strongly of talc parfum (baby powder) though. It also doesn't seem to offer much in terms of SPF or moisturizer. I'd rather use a ChapStick or Vaseline if I had to choose. C+

Win the Day

Clearasil Superfruit Daily Cleanser makes my skin feel ah-mah-zing. It’s got the perfect amount of foamy scrub, and makes your skin feel tingly and fresh without that tight, dry feeling. I could definitely see myself lathering up my beautiful visage with this every morning- it's so refreshing! It gets a grade of A from me.

Sugar High

Airheads Bites. I pretty much demolished the bag of these rainbow goodies in one sitting. They’ve got a great balance of sweet and tart flavor, and they’re surprisingly not tough to chew. If you like Airheads or fruity taffy/gummy candy, these are for you. A-

Fall for Fashion

I used to use laundry pods freshman year when lugging a heavy carton of detergent to and from the laundry room (three flights of stairs in my building) was a no-go. Tide is my favorite brand of laundry soap and now that they come in convenient little pods, I’m pretty excited. Although I believe I prefer the liquid (I feel like I have more control), these handy little pouches definitely do the trick. Because they're pricey, I give Tide PODS an A-.

For coupons and more info on the program, check out www.influenster.com

The Resume Addendum: Adding a Case Study

by Debra Wheatman, Careers Done Write

Do you ever feel like your resume is just telling part of the story? Perhaps you have done a great job of hitting the highlights on your resume, but you want a second document that goes a bit deeper, something that you can bring to the interview. For many occupations, such as consultants, creative directors, or project managers, showcasing three to five case studies in an addendum is the right solution.

What is a Resume Addendum?
An addendum is a document that contains additional information that is not appropriate for the resume. The resume contains the candidate’s top selling points. An addendum may be a closer look at key projects or programs. In cases of programs or projects, a case study is an excellent format for an addendum.

How to Draft a Case Study.
Start the case study with these headline items: Project title, client name, location, and dates. Below it in a summary (paragraph) format include things such as the dollar value of the project, the scope, number of locations, purpose and goal of project, major challenges, action taken, and the ultimate result.  The candidate can sell himself by showcasing the measured results.  Was the project delivered early or under budget?  What was the savings achieved?  What improvement in metrics can the candidate share?  Numbers sell, so including numbers is important.

Why Addendums Are Effective.
The idea is that the candidate grabs the reader’s attention in the resume. After the candidate has that attention and the interview phase (phone or face-to-face) has been reached, the candidate can offer the addendum for a more comprehensive look at his history. The addendum is effective because it enables the reader to absorb the information at the pace of his interest. As the reader is more interested, the candidate feeds additional details. The interview is an indication of greater interest and that is the prime time to share the addendum document.

When you earn the interview for the dream job, be proactive by producing and presenting a resume addendum. The case study addendum is a smart way to expand on your accomplishments.  It also shows that you are organized and have sharp marketing instincts. Don’t wait until you are called for an interview, start building your case study addendum today so you have something to share with the company when the interview stage presents itself.

Debra Wheatman is the president of Careers Done Write and an AMACareer Resource Center contributor. Read more from Debra here or follow her on twitter at @DebraWheatman.

The Yardsticks "more than just a competition"

by Rachel Valice

Grace and Kristina represent GV with their proposal
that focused on the "instant gratification" factor.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mi. - Last night, The Yardsticks annual advertising competition took place in the Ballroom of the City Flats Hotel, in the heart of downtown.

This year's client and sponsor was Bagger Dave's, a beer and burger restaurant. Nearly 20 student groups from Grand Valley, Kendall, Ferris, and even Calvin presented their creative advertising proposals for a chance to have their ideas applied in the real world.

Frank Blossom, an advertising professor in the School of Communications at Grand Valley State University and advisor to the Ad Club, was the emcee for the evening's festivities.

Proposals ranged anywhere from crudely drawn concepts for television spots, to professionally printed poster board advertisements. The highlight of the competition focuses on the strength of the idea over the ability to design.

In a preliminary round, judges narrowed the contenders down to 8 semi-finalists. Those who didn't make the cut were offered markers and sketchpads and encouraged to come up with a new concept on the spot. Two other semi-finalists were chosen from this re-conceptualized group.

Using the hashtag "#theyardsticks," attendees were encouraged to live tweet about the event for the duration of the evening.

After an intense presentation and critique session, judges conferred before announcing the top four finalists.

The winning groups' proposals centered on the ideas of "VOTE FOR DAVE," "Tastefully Engineered," and "Edible Imagination."

Last year's client was Hello West Michigan, a tourism promotion company. The winning students' ads are set to run within the next six months.

Next year's sponsor will be the Amway Grand Hotel.

12 Tips We Learned from LinkedIn Night (10/10)

1. There are 3 ways to communicate with people on LinkedIn: your network, inMail, and Groups.
2. By joining a group, you can send messages to people outside of your circle.
3. The best way to get noticed on LinkedIn (and all social media) is to update your status 3-5 times a week. This will keep you at the forefront of your followers' minds!
4. You don't have to post original content each time; sharing an article, website, blog, or other content that may interest your followers is a good strategy. Know your audience!
5. Use the hashtag #LakerLinkedIn.
6. Use the 4 Be's: Be Interesting (if it's something you would stop and read, your followers would too), Be Relevant (events, news from your city), Be Helpful (people will react positively to you), and Be Yourself (be unique, let your personality shine through on social media).
7. Use power words; optimization is key to getting found. Use keywords and industry terminology for SEO.
8. Embed interesting content (videos, images, graphics, HTML, etc.) into your LinkedIn profile.
9. Customize connect requests for the person you are trying to connect to.
10. Start a group- great résumé builder and network opportunity!
11. Write your own blog. Link this to your LinkedIn.
12. Don't be afraid to ask for opportunities. Be proactive and don't assume people will come to you.

Meeting Minutes 10/3

We had a lot of information coming from our many guest speakers last week. To recap:

1. Professor Frank Blossom informed us of an AWESOME opportunity for Marketing majors, Advertising majors, and creative people in general! It's called Yardsticks, and you can find out more about it here or by e-mailing Professor Blossom.

2. The Street Team needs student ambassadors! Become a part of Laker Traditions and support your love for your alma mater.

3. Main speaker Tony Beachler entertained us with stories of Grand Valley in the 90s, life after graduation, and how to market your own personal "elevator pitch." He also handed us a handy list of tips and tricks to get hired and stay hired. Ask for a copy at our next meeting!


DON'T FORGET- LinkedIn Night is this Thursday. Learn how to utilize your social media presence to become #OutstandingYou and land the job you've been striving for.

Have an AMAzing week- we'll see you Thursday! :)

Résumé Tips We Learned At Résumé Night

September 19th was AMA's Résumé Night, where we hosted speakers Tami and Lori from Career Services, and recruiters Garrett and Stacey from Steelcase Inc. They had a lot of wisdom to share, but if you missed it, here's a brief recap.


GVSU Career Center

They offer many services for students to help you land the perfect career. They offer copywriting, interview preparation, internships, hirings, networking, résumé help, and more! They also work in conjunction with LakerJobs, and can help you find an internship for credit.

They have a walk-in office in DeVos B on the 1st floor or in 257 SCB. Or you can visit their site, www.gvsu.edu/careers.

Members were given fake résumés and had to decide 

which ones were winners, and which would lose the job.

Interview/Résumé/E-mail DO's and DON'T's:

1. No txt speak lol
2. Watch out for autocorrect!
3. Copy and paste into Word to get automatic Spell Check.
4. Silence your phone.
5. If you went to community college, put your Associate's degree on your résumé.
6. It's okay to add a color scheme (like navy and gray) to your résumé but keep it clean and concise.
7. Use careful judgment when deciding whether or not to include a photo on your résumé. Most professionals recommend leaving the photo out.
8. Be confident!
9. To stand out to the folks looking at your résumé, put your name and contact information in large type at the top of your résumé. Your header should be easy to see and the information should not be hidden.
10. Recruiters are hard to meet after graduation- meet them now!
11. Proofread, proofread, proofread! (The folks at the Career Center can help you with this.)
12. Talk about relevant projects from only 1 or 2 classes. You don't need to describe every course you took in detail.
13. You entire résumé should only be 1 page and should highlight your strongest assets. If you overflow onto a second page, consider editing down the information.
14. It isn't necessary to include references; it's okay to put "References Available Upon Request."
15. When asked whether or not your résumé should be "general," or "tailored" to look better to the company, recruiters suggested that you should tailor your résumé with your most relevant assets to make you appear as the best fit for the company. It shows your effort and your attention to detail.
16. The first things recruiters look for are experience (course work, projects, volunteering, internships, portfolio, jobs, extra curriculars like AMA) and education (put your degree at the top and add your GPA- it's important!).
17. Pay attention to the recruiter's instructions.
18. "If I don't have experience, can I apply for an internship or entry level position?" Yes- that's the whole point! The worst they can say is "no."
19. Be specific about the position you are looking for.
20. It's always better to be overdressed- looks DO matter!


And above all, be well-rounded- every recruiter suggested being involved in AMA to boost your résumé to the top of the pile!

9/26 Guest Speaker Bios

This Thursday, 9/26 at 6:00 PM, Grand Valley AMA will host the following guest speakers, who will spend their valuable time generously imparting marketing and business wisdom upon us.


Paige Etheridge

"GVSU graduate 2010. BBA in Marketing with Sales Emphasis. Upon graduating moved to ATL where I began my career as a retail sales manager for AT&T Mobility. Completed a 1yr training- Retail Leadership Development Program and took off to manage in big cities of Dallas, TX & Palo Alto, CA. Since then, 2 more transitions: sales management for Levi Stauss & Co in San Fran, back to GR where I now work as a Realtor with Greenridge Realty. Sales is my passion."


Brian Small

"Brian Small is a 2005 Graduate of Grand Valley State University's Seidman School of Business with a double major in Marketing and International Business with minor in Spanish.  After graduating, Brian started a career in sales working for Whirlpool Appliances serving in a variety of roles based in Phoenix, Los Angeles and Minneapolis.  In 2009, Brian returned to Michigan to complete is MBA at Michigan State University after which he began working in Human Resources for Cummins Engine Company in Columbus, Indiana.  Most recently, he has returned to Grand Rapids and now works as an HR Manager for Eaton Aerospace."


Teresa Michanowicz

"I work in our Institutional Business Development department, where my role is a Leader of our Global Institutional Solutions Team.  My role includes assisting our prospective and existing partners (Banks, Service Providers, Institutions)  with technical integrations, training, and support in all aspects of our relationship.  This entails acting as a Project Manager or Business Lead for new integration's and acting as a liaison between all departments ( to include Dealing, New Accounts, Accounting, Compliance, Client Services, Marketing, Technical Support, Institutional Sales, and Risk Management.)  I collect business requirements from the prospect to then present internally to decide if business forecasts supports any new development.  Following a project launch, I provide continued support for our partners' solution. I collect a catalogue of technical requirements from the clients based on their business needs and align it with the technical solutions we have available.  I also help to identify any new developments required to grow business, and work hand in hand with our internal teams to ensure all solutions are delivered on time to meet project deadlines.  Most of all, I help our partners to design their technology and website in a way that will help them to grow and attract new business. Additionally, on the sales side, we review the productivity of the partners to help develop ideas on how they can improve these figures to meet business goals with innovative technical solutions. This involves evaluating marketing plans/business plans, examining marketing material/websites, addressing their Sales process, setting up Sales Training, Market Knowledge, and providing general support for the areas where improvement is needed. Furthermore, my past role was to track performance and report to senior management how they expect to increase sales, or provide reasons for poor performance (which may require intervention.) The most important job responsibility is to ensure our partners are producing as expected and are generating revenue for our firm. It is also imperative that we are up to date on market news and events, which we receive commentary from our specialist to be able to assist with market questions and what is going on in the global arena.

Background Info:
I obtained a Presidential scholarship to attend NMC in Traverse City, before transferring to Grand Valley to pursue a Bacheolors in Marketing and Finance with a minor in International Business. I was awarded a special Don Lubbers Scholarship to study at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy while returning to Grand Rapids to complete my degree at Grand Valley State University in 2005.  I have worked for an independent Health and Life insurance agent out of Rockford after obtaining a Michigan State certification. In 2008, I began work for GFT after passing a government regulated exam (Series 3 and 34) for the financial securities industry to work in the Forex Industry.

Extra Curricular:
I have spent several years volunteering as a tutor for the Grand Rapids Public Library as well as for Bethany Christian Sevices supporting the PARA (refugee program.) On my spare time, I am a teacher and parishioner at St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church in Allendale, Michigan. In recent years, I have volunteered for the Opera Grand Rapids volunteering in two popular opera's. Additionally, I am currently a student of Michigan Kung Fu systems, studying at Grand Rapids Karate academy."


 Bryan Lutley

"I am a Senior Marketing Specialist at Steelcase. I started as a marketing intern 5-1/2 years ago, working on product development for the wood division. I did that for about 1-1/2 years, then I was an internal sales support person for a year. After that, I was a proposal manager that focused on furniture bids for the U.S. Government. I did that for about a year as well, before finally ending up in my role now, working with the wood group as a Senior Marketing Specialist. I have my BBA in Marketing and Management, but have not yet pursued any graduate degrees."


"Takeaway of the meeting: Learn how we all have different paths after college. These four professionals will share with us the paths they took and what they learned along their journey. This is a real world experience you won't want to miss!" -Grand Valley AMA President Amanda Jakubowski

Removal of the GVSU "Wrecking Ball" sparks outcry on social media

by Rachel Valice

ALLENDALE, Mi. - After numerous videos of students stripping down to their skivvies and riding the famous Grand Valley "Wrecking Ball" went viral, the university made the decision to remove the campus landmark, claiming "safety reasons" as the cause.

According GVSU Facilities Services, the pendulum is an art piece and is not meant to be ridden. Citing an "increase in popularity of riding the pendulum" after twerking pop star Miley Cyrus' risqué new music video incited Grand Valley students to parody her work, the installation was taken down so that officials could evaluate its structural integrity and prevent further misuse.

In the music video, Cyrus straddles a wrecking ball in nothing but a pair of work boots and a smile.

The controversial decision made headlines after being first reported by Roger Dorn of TotalFratMove. As news spread amongst students, the story gained speed when it was picked up by Fox News, WZZM, and E! Online. A movement soon followed on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag, "#reinstalltheball," as outraged students proclaim through the trending topic that there is nothing dangerous about riding the bifilar pendulum.

"3hrs ago i said lets get #reinstalltheball trending. at 8pm we peaked at 395. lets go people!" tweeted GVSU alum Kipchumba Chelilim, using the handle @MrChumbtastic.

"First they take away our bridge and now our ball? What's next Gvsu, what's next!? #GVProbs #reinstalltheball" tweeted user Halie Foulks.

The issue has inspired the creation of a humorous Twitter account. Some students have even gone as far as to publicly reach out to Miley Cyrus to acquire her help in getting the ball back.

A spontaneous, student-organized "memorial service" also took place at the site in protest of the ball's removal, which had been installed without incident since 1973.

Facilities Services expresses hope that they can find another location on campus to reinstall the pendulum where it can be safely viewed. Until then, the piece will remain in storage.

Meeting Minutes for 9/12

In case you missed it...


Meeting Minutes

• Introductions of Professors, Advisors, and Board.

What is AMA?

• Professional/ Academic Organization that is part of a National chapter. There are 340 plus 

collegiate chapters nationwide!

• An organization with plenty of leadership opportunities for members to build a great resume.

Theme?

• F.I.T (Futuristic, Impressions, and Trends)

• Every person is going to be the perfect fit for a company one day and here at AMA we 

help members find their fit and guide them to be business fit!

Membership?

You can see membership documents on our website here.


You can also watch a video recap of our first meeting from the President:

AMA at GVSU's Campus Life Night, Fall 2013

If you missed AMA at Campus Life Night this week, here's how it went down:

 If you still have not received your FREE Laker Compass Planner, 

come to our first meeting downtown in Seidman Room 1008B on 9/12 at 6 PM. 

Quantities are limited- first come, first served! 

There will also be FREE food at the meeting for all who attend.

Marketing Internship: Aldersgate United Methodist Church

Happy First Day of Fall Semester 2013! ☺

To kick things off right, Professor Lehnert and VP of Professional Development Mandie Henry have found the first internship opportunity of the year. Details are below:



"Marketing Internship: Aldersgate United Methodist Church
http://www.graldersgate.org/ 

The opportunity would be part-time during the school year (maybe in the summer as well) and could offer some pay (stipend, hourly, etc.).  We are doing a lot of work to redesign our communication pieces, launching a new brand, demographic research (internal and external) and are considering doing some surveys of the local community to better understand needs in our area.  The opportunity could be a great hands-on learning experience and do some work for a greater cause.

Contact Matt Albin
matt.tri.guy@gmail.com or matt.albin@amway.com." 



Enjoy your first week of classes, Lakers!

AMA E-Board Retreat (Summer 2013)

Recently, our e-board spent a weekend up north bonding and generally just getting to know one another. While we spent a good chunk of time meeting, voting, and participating in various trust and communication exercises, we also didn't forget to slow down and have some fun!

Sarah and Amanda chit-chat while touring the lake.

Brian and Sophie enjoying the boat ride!

Trying to solve one of Justin's puzzles to enhance group communication skills.

Sarah tries to navigate the maze.

Justin leads the exercise.

You can see more photos from the trip on our Photo Gallery page.

Want to win $1,000?

Hello! J

The American Marketing Association of GVSU is selling raffle tickets to help Professor Maria Landon and her husband’s church fund a new youth center! 1^st prize is $1,000 cash, 2^nd prize is a $200 gift certificate, and there are many more prizes (listed on the ticket). You don’t have to be present to win! Not only does this count as a community service for our club, but also a fundraiser: our club receives $1 for every ticket we sell, which would be very helpful in getting us to the national conference in New Orleans next year.

Tickets are:

$5 each, or

$10 for 3, or

$30 for 10

The drawing will be on Saturday, August 24^th, at 9:00 PM at the Yassou (Greek Cultural) Festival. Like I said, you don’t have to be present to win (although I’m sure the festival will be awesome fun)- if your ticket is drawn you will be contacted by James Landon or another representative of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church organizing the event.

To buy a ticket or tickets, shoot me an e-mail at valicer@mail.gvsu.edu or call/text at (586) 453-5166.

Thank you and good luck! J

Rachel Valice, VP of Communications

P.S.: James wants me to encourage everyone to attend the festival, regardless of if you bought raffle tickets or not. He assures me there will be tons of great cultural dancing, music, and Greek food and desserts!