This article was originally posted on MSU Today.
Michigan State University came out on top at the 2018 National Collegiate Sales Competition, or NCSC, in Kennesaw, Georgia. Not only did the MSU team take the overall team championship, but marketing senior Heidi Surdyk won the individual national championship.
MSU and Surdyk outpunched 144 competitors from 72 universities across the country, representing the nation's top sales programs. NCSC is the oldest and most prestigious university sales competition in the world.
"NCSC did a fantastic job in creating a challenging, yet realistic sales environment," said Surdyk. "I am so grateful that I attend a university that gives me the opportunities to take part in life-altering experiences like the NCSC, and the experiences and memories I gained this past week will stay with me forever."
MSU's sales program has participated in this competition since 2009. Surdyk's win is the second MSU individual championship in three years.
Semi-finalist Selma Kijamet, who placed fifth overall in the individual competition, team coach Valerie Good, and alternates Alyssa Cutcher and Keegan Dashner each contributed to the MSU's victory as well.
Students from the program also compete annually in another prestigious team-selling competition - National Team Selling Competition, or NTSC - at Indiana University, winning the competition five times since 2008. Only two other universities in history have won both the NCSC and the NTSC.
"Coming on the heels of MSU's national championship in the National Team Selling Competition, this victory burnishes our reputation as one of the nation's very top sales programs," said Doug Hughes, chairperson and professor of marketing in the Eli Broad College of Business. "Only one other university besides MSU has won both of these competitions ever and never before has this occurred in the same year."