ProSales Students Sharpen Networking Skills at Student-Run Fall Banquet

During late November, students in Baylor University’s Center for Professional Selling led the ProSales Fall Banquet, which included a reception hour and formal dinner. The banquet provided an opportunity for ProSales students to practice networking with twenty executives in a real-world scenario.

“It’s always important for young business people to handle unstructured business conversation opportunities,” said Vince Chapa, Managing Director of Account Relationships at KPMG, Center for Professional Selling Advisory Board member and banquet attendee. “The social and dinner setting is important because it gives you the 360-degree view of how a sales professional is prepared. Your social skills are important to create the full package. This is what differentiates people in the sales business, and it can be intimidating. Part of what you have to offer is yourself.”

Damon Bell, the Director of Sales for White Lodging in Austin, TX, also attended the banquet and engaged with students during the banquet. “This was an excellent opportunity to engage with Baylor students. Driving topline sales is an important part of most businesses and it is clear that Baylor is recognizing that with a focused sales curriculum,” said Bell.

In addition to the networking opportunities for all ProSales students, juniors Grant Holmes, Kelsey Mann and Lindsey Reagan as well as senior David McGee comprised the Fall Banquet Committee, which was in charge of planning and executing the entire event. The committee was led by Natasha Ashton, a JD / MBA Candidate at Baylor and a Graduate Assistant in the Center for Professional Selling.

“For the ProSales students and me, it was a new experience. None of us had ever planned a large event like this from start to finish and everything in between,” said Ashton. “All four of the students really stepped up and brought a lot of passion and enthusiasm to the event. I was really impressed by their resourcefulness and analytical skills.”

Mr. Chapa also commented on the benefits of students leading the banquet. “As Baylor’s ProSales program gives students the opportunity to run the agenda, the program helps them mature and become confident to lead programs in the future. Their confidence in public speaking alone helps set them apart.”

After working with the ProSales students, Ashton complimented their work ethic. “It was great to see their level of professionalism throughout the planning and implementation process,” said Ashton. “All of the students were self starters and helped define and implement our goals. They were capable of spotting what was important to our planning process and removing barriers to fully execute our plans. The students really stepped up to the plate during crunch time to get everything done in time.”

About the Center for Professional Selling
Dedicated to excellence in sales education and based in the university’s Hankamer School of Business, the Center for Professional Selling is recognized as one of the premier global information resources for the sales profession. For more information on the Center for Professional Selling, visit https://hankamer.baylor.edu/prosales.