For the sixth consecutive year, Missouri State University’s American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter impressed at the 2025 AMA International Collegiate Conference (ICC). 

The conference took place April 3-5 in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the collegiate arm of the AMA. Thirteen marketing majors from the College of Business participated.  

The ICC is one of the most prestigious events for marketing students across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. It brings together future professionals for a weekend of competitions, workshops, networking and professional development. 

Leadership and hosting opportunities 

One of the highlights of MSU’s involvement was co-hosting two major sessions.  

The chapter helped organize and lead the Student Agency Networking Blitz, an innovative event they helped develop in 2024.  

With over 60 students from more than 27 universities in attendance, the session allowed student-run marketing agencies to exchange best practices and collaborate on new ideas. 

Additionally, the MSU AMA team presented during a Chapter Leadership session, an honor reserved for high-performing chapters.  

Students Peyton Smith and Sage Canon led the presentation, sharing fundraising strategies and chapter success stories.  

“Getting a chance to contribute to the betterment of other AMA chapters across the nation was an honor and a privilege. There’s so much to learn from each of our different chapters,” Smith said.  

They were invited to speak after MSU AMA earned outstanding recognition in three or more categories of its annual report — a prestigious benchmark achieved by a few chapters. 

Competition success 

The Missouri State chapter also stood out in several competitions.  

A five-member team competed in the Marketing Business Simulation competition and placed second out of more than 50 teams. The team comprised: 

• Senior Joshua Combs 
• Senior Philip Hackney 
• Freshman Rylan Piepergerdes  
• Junior Sarah Schaibly 
• Senior Zack Schrock  

Combs also received honorable mention in the Perfect Pitch competition, showcasing his personal communication and branding skills. 

In addition, the chapter was named outstanding in three major annual report categories of professional development, membership and communications, and was recognized for its community and social impact. 

Overall, the MSU AMA improved its national chapter ranking, climbing from 35th to 29th out of 330-plus chapters. 

“We’re making our way up to the top 25, which is a high distinction at the International Collegiate Conference,” said Dr. Jenifer Skiba, chapter advisor and associate professor of marketing.  

 Learn more about the MSU AMA chapter