From getting the Bisons football team pumped up to planning the university’s first zombie run, Harding’s chapter of the American Marketing Association has been busy bringing more activities, barbecue and pep to Harding’s campus this semester.
AMA is an organization open to students of all majors for the purpose of providing experience in event planning, marketing and promotion. Senior Monica Woods, marketing major and co-president of AMA, said the goal of the organization is to help students excel outside of the classroom by giving them opportunities to work with real life clients and situations.
“We work with other organizations on campus to help promote their causes,” Woods said. “In addition, we have our own events and fundraisers we do as a club. Our projects help us refine our skills in event coordination, graphic design and all-around professionalism.”
So far this semester, AMA planned October’s pep rally for the football team, organized a team for Relay for Life and hosted the Barbecue Bash held during the second tailgate. But those events were just a hint of what AMA has planned for this school year, members said.
Currently, members of the organization are organizing events for an organ donation awareness week and a zombie run for next fall.
With each project comes new people to help and new connections to be made, which Woods said is one of the best parts of being a member in AMA. Woods said she also enjoys working with the AMA team to do something they are all passionate about.
“The members this year are awesome and so willing and ready to make things happen,” Woods said. “We put (the pep rally) together in a week and it was a huge hit. The football players and coaches were so pumped from it. It was instant gratification. What we did encouraged someone and it was successful.”
While each event takes a lot of work and planning, junior Patricio Felix, graphic designer for AMA, said he likes getting the opportunity to have his art seen by the students by using his designs to promote the events.
“My favorite project has been designing the actual logo, because the logo is going to be around forever,” Felix said. “And knowing that I actually designed it … I think that’s pretty cool.”
Lori Sloan, an assistant professor and an AMA sponsor, said what she enjoys about AMA is getting to know the members and watching them use their fountain of talent and energy make a positive impact on campus.
Sloan said there is no lack of energy in this year’s group.
“This year’s AMA crew has been on fire,” Sloan said. “They have about worn me out with ideas and events and incredible vision and talent. I haven’t had a group work together and be so energized like this in (more than) 10 years. It has added renewed energy to my teaching and my life — truly an answer to prayers.”
