As seen in the spring 2025 Ivy magazine.
Being recognized as the #1 university sales team in the nation and #2 globally is a distinction few college students can claim.
But the Ivy sales team can – and they’ve earned it.
In fall 2024, six Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business students, all pursuing sales certificates, competed in the 2024 International Collegiate Sales Competition (ICSC) – often called the “World Cup of Sales” – in Orlando, Florida.
The Cyclones faced off against 81 universities from the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands, with more than 400 participants vying for top honors across three events: Sales Management Case, Role Play, and Speed Sell.
Three Ivy sales students stood out as national champions, including Cora Frohwein, a senior in marketing, and Jake Louis, a senior in supply chain management, who secured first place in the Sales Management Case competition.
In the Speed Sell category, Bailey Sieren, a senior in agricultural studies, earned top honors. Colton Hauschild, a senior in marketing, also competed in the category and was “beyond glad I accepted the chance to compete,” he said. “It was a great experience to grow professionally, as well as meet and network with so many amazing people.”
While the Role Play team – finance junior Ava Hughes and marketing junior Mackenzie Sheridan – didn’t place, their strong showing helped Iowa State secure its impressive overall #2 ranking among university sales teams.
Each student who prepared for and competed in the ICSC credits their coach, former Associate Professor of Practice Mike Gassmann, for their success.
In fact, they all shared the same motivation: a desire to make him proud.
“Mike is the reason I fell in love with sales, and his commitment to servant leadership showed me what sales truly is about – helping and serving others,” said Jake Louis. “His guidance and selflessness have impacted me deeply. Thanks to these people and all of the faculty, Iowa State has built one of the best sales cultures and programs. Representing the university at ICSC was an honor, and I’m so grateful for this experience and everyone who helped make it possible.”
Louis added that while he and his Sales Management Case competition teammate Cora Frohwein weren’t the most naturally talented team at the event, their effort made all the difference.
“It’s a reminder that, in any field, your dedication and willingness to prepare can have a bigger impact than talent alone,” Louis said. “That’s a mindset I’ll carry into my career and life, knowing that the results you want often depend on how much you’re willing to work for them.”
Frohwein highlighted how she made good friends after Gassmann strategically paired her with other students. “A team with a foundation of friendship was the secret ingredient to us taking home an international championship,” she said.
Frohwein and Louis’s work on the case began at 8:00 a.m. and didn’t wrap up until 3:00 a.m. the following morning.
“Our biggest challenge was maintaining mental endurance,” Frohwein said. “This would not have been possible without the help of our entire team. They cheered us on, lifted us up, and supported us by providing advice, meals, and everything in between.”
That unwavering support came especially from Gassmann.
“Mike has instilled in his students that purpose drives success,” Frohwein said. “We gave Ivy’s sales certificate program the recognition it deserves, and that itself was a reward. Through this experience, I have learned that my best work is created when it impacts others.”
Preparation was key to the team’s success at the ICSC.
Gassmann shared how the team, which he hand-selected, began meeting on the first day of classes and continued weekly for a couple of hours. Their training included virtual meetings with alumni participants and professional partners, such as GreatAmerica Financial Services, which provided the students with valuable industry insights, real-world scenarios to consider, and expert feedback on strategies.
Gassmann believes his students’ success at the competition stemmed from this intentional and meaningful training. He noted how alumni and partners cared deeply about the students, frequently reaching out during the competition to offer encouragement and ask for updates.
“It takes a village, so I want to surround the students with support and show them we have their back,” Gassmann said.
While having a winning team meant a lot to Gassmann, it wasn’t about personal achievement. For him, the victories were confidence boosters for his students and a way to highlight an important lesson: sales is all about helping others reach their goals.
“These wins validate everything we’re doing,” he said. “We’re training students the right way, and we’re building a program on a strong foundation of sales.”
Perhaps Mackenzie Sheridan best summed up the significance of the ICSC for the Ivy sales team.
“Our team had one goal going into the ICSC: to make Mike proud.”
— Mackenzie Sheridan
“This was his last semester teaching at Iowa State, and we all know that he is an amazing coach, professor, and mentor. He put immense effort and time into helping us all prepare, and we wanted to be proud of ourselves when we left Orlando.”
The team certainly succeeded in that goal.
“We placed top 2 internationally through teamwork and hard work,” Sheridan said. “Saying I am proud of the six of us is an understatement. We became a strong team that cared about each other’s successes and encouraged each other to perform to the best of our abilities, and it paid off.”
To connect with the sales team members or follow their collegiate and professional journeys, visit them on LinkedIn: Cora Frohwein, Jake Louis, Mackenzie Sheridan, Bailey Sieren, Ava Hughes, and Colton Hauschild.
Professional Sales Certificate
The professional sales certificate at the Ivy College of Business is available to any student at Iowa State, regardless of major. It is the first in Iowa and one of the best in the world.
Research suggests that approximately 80 percent of marketing majors accept a sales position upon graduation and 60 percent of all business students will take a job with at least some sales-related duties after graduation.