As seen in the fall 2024 Ivy magazine.
Named ‘Top University Sales Program’ five years running
The Ivy professional sales certificate is the first in Iowa and one of the best in the world.
That might sound a little salesy, but Marketing Professor Raj Agnihotri can back it up.
“Starting in spring 2019, the program has gathered great accolades. Sales Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization that elevates the sales profession through college and university programs, has named the new Ivy program a ‘Top University Sales Program’ for five years in a row,” Agnihotri said.
In the spring semester of 2021, 10 students added the professional sales certificate to their résumé. In the spring semester of 2024, that number rose to 265. Of those, 233 were business students.
The sales certificate is open to everyone
The certificate is open to all Iowa State University students, regardless of major.
“The growth of the sales certificate is unprecedented,” said Agnihotri, who is also a Morrill Professor, the Mary Warner Fellow, and assistant dean of industry engagement. “We always hoped for growth, but we never saw this coming this fast and this big.”
A sales program was created for good reason.
“Research studies suggest 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,” said Raisbeck Endowed Dean David Spalding, who recruited Agnihotri in 2018 to launch the Ivy sales program. “The professional sales certificate is an asset to any major because sales is at the heart of most business enterprises.”
There are many reasons for the success of the certificate, Agnihotri explained. “The biggest champions of the program are students,” he said. “These students were hungry for something so experiential, so rigorous,” he said.
Hear from sales certificate students
Ben Dalrymple (’24 marketing), from Waterloo, Iowa, earned a professional sales certificate before graduation. He is employed as an account executive at Goosehead Insurance in Denver, Colorado.
“Coming into Iowa State, I had the idea that I wanted to be in business but had no idea where I wanted to be exactly,” said Dalrymple, who also served as president of the ISU Sales Club during college.
“I took a chance with the sales certificate because I had grown up around a great salesman, my grandpa Bill Staebell. Professor Agnihotri was my first professor in the sales certificate. I had no expectations or any real excitement for college until I started the sales classes.”
Dalrymple credits much of his academic success to members of the marketing faculty like Agnihotri and Mike Gassmann, associate professor of practice in marketing. They continuously connect students with leaders from various businesses, including Pella and Nationwide.
Adding the professional sales certificate to his academic experience was a game changer for Dalrymple.
“It’s an achievement I am proud of,” he said. “It has allowed me to get an advanced sales job right after graduation because so many employers ask about it or are semi-aware of it and want to know more. The sales certificate is more than a piece of paper and courses. It offers a paradigm shift in how the world works.”
“Everybody sells. The more you realize that the more important this path is to take. Engineers, lawyers, designers, you name it, they are all trying to make a point by selling it. I wish more people realized sales isn’t merely moving products or pushing it on someone, but rather enabling a person to see the value behind what is being offered.”
— Ben Dalrymple
Caitlin Maher, a student in the College of Human Sciences who is studying kinesiology and health, added the professional sales certificate to her college experience. She is a senior and plans to graduate in December.
“At the conclusion of my sophomore year, I had some close friends from Ivy insist that I should look into the professional sales certificate,” said Maher, who is from Huxley, Iowa. “They said this matched my personality and my goals in life.”
She was not as confident about it as her friends were, but she quickly learned they were right.
“I can honestly say I have loved this program since day one of my Intro to Professional Selling class with Mike Gassmann. I still remember that first day of fall semester walking into Ivy and feeling like a freshman again. It was exciting to be learning something new and Mike Gassmann taught with such passion and genuine care. I was inspired to dive into the class and the roleplay competition. After my experience in that class, I was asked to compete at the National Collegiate Sales Competition representing Iowa State University. This trip with the team and coach Mike is truly one of my favorite college memories.”
Maher had planned to pursue a career as an athletic trainer. She has spent over 500 hours with different Iowa State athletic teams, learning from amazing mentors.
After experiencing sales classes, she changed her path.
“As the end of my junior year came near, I was on the path to start graduate school for athletic training,” she said. “While I loved the people in my kinesiology classes and have so much respect for the profession, I started to wonder if that was actually the career for me. I remember having a conversation with Mike Gassmann and asking him if he thought I could be successful in sales. The confidence he had in me gave me the confidence I needed to change my career path as a junior in college. Through my time in the certificate program, I learned that professional selling wasn’t originally what I thought. This program made me realize I could still pursue my dream of helping others and adding to their lives, while also doing a career that fit my talents and personality. I am truly passionate about the prospect of a career in sales and excited for my future after Iowa State.”
Maher spent the summer as a sales operations intern at Velera (formerly Co-op Solutions), a partner of the Ivy sales program. This experience was made possible by the certificate program. “It’s truly an honor to be a part of this program during my time at Iowa State.”
Cora Frohwein, a senior in marketing, said the MKT 342: Foundation of Personal Selling class was a pivotal class, both professionally and personally.
“As a self-proclaimed people person, I struggled with a lack of confidence in a professional setting,” she said. “MKT 342 grew my network and gave my conversations purpose. With endless support and encouragement from my sales professors, I was able to build my confidence, so much so, I added the professional sales certificate.”
Frohwein, who is from New Providence, Iowa, is excited to continue building strong relationships with her peers, mentors, and companies.
“The sales certificate provides endless opportunities to students eager to grow,” she said. “It guarantees personal growth, if not a future career. I’m so thankful for my sales community at Iowa State University.”
