WVU's College of Business and Economics.
West Virginia University’s Professional Sales Institute has been named to the “2017 Top Universities for Professional Sales Education” by the Sales Education Foundation, marking the sixth straight year WVU has been listed among the best schools in the world.
The Professional Sales Institute is located within the WVU College of Business and Economics, and is among the top schools to be recognized in North American and internationally by the SEF.
WVU’s Professional Sales Institute has a specialty area in professional sales at B&E, provides a sales internship program and is a sales competition participant. In total, WVU was among 121 schools in North America and 17 schools internationally to be recognized. The SEF does not provide a numerical ranking for each school.
Michael Walsh, chair and associate professor of marketing, said the sales education environment is comprised of high-level classroom education, valuable experiential learning, exposure to companies who have relationships with WVU, internship opportunities and sales competitions where WVU students have traditionally performed well.
“The key to successful entry into the sales world is experiential activity, and we offer a full gamut of that to our students,” said Walsh. “Sales education starts in the classroom, but it ends in internships, sales competitions and professional certifications.”
Walsh said B&E has been certified as a member of the University Sales Center Alliance for nearly seven years, and is one of only 29 schools to have full membership status.
“This membership is recognition that we have the curriculum, the resources and the commitment to sales education with the top universities in the country,” Walsh said. “Ultimately, our students are the benefactors of that commitment in their preparation for successful careers. We have also significantly bolstered our ranks in the Marketing Department, both in terms of teaching and research in the area of sales education. Ultimately, that bodes well for students, for this business school and for this university.”
B&E will host the 4th Annual WVU Sales Competition, which currently includes WVU and five other colleges and universities Nov. 11 in Morgantown.
“To be named a top sales school in the world for six consecutive years is something in which we take a great deal of pride,” said Javier A. Reyes, B&E Milan Puskar Dean. “Sales skills are invaluable in the business world; it doesn’t matter if you’re in the classroom or the board room, you’re going to need those skills. Our students have access to many learning-by-doing opportunities and, combined with a high-level classroom experience, they are entering the global workforce with the tools they need to be successful.”
Professional Sales is one of three areas of emphasis for marketing majors at B&E. The WVU professional sales track offers course work in personal selling, sales management and selling with digital media.
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CONTACT:
Patrick Gregg, WVU College of Business and Economics
304.293.5131; patrick.gregg@mail.wvu.edu
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