As I wrote last year, experiential learning is a catalyst to student transformation. Experiential learning opportunities help increase graduation rates and boost students’ confidence. What ups the ante is when these opportunities align with industry needs so that students graduate with the skills employers are actually seeking. 

A perfect example of such experiential learning can be seen through the recent fall American Marketing Association (AMA) Digital Marketing Competition. The competition tests AMA student chapters’ digital marketing skills through a timed, real-world challenge where teams develop a comprehensive digital marketing campaign for a real company. 

I am proud to share that a group of WGU School of Business students was among dozens of collegiate teams from across the country competing in this experiential learning opportunity. 

The virtual competition included a challenge to design a social media strategy for Gerber Life, the competition’s sponsor. Teams, which had two hours to design their campaigns, were judged on relevance to the company’s persona, creativity and concept strength, strategic clarity and feasibility and creative mockups and assets. 

Competing WGU students included Jesserea Morgan, Shelby Norris, Victoria Palacios, Sierra Smith and Andre Yeampierre – all members of the AMA WGU Collegiate, which helps members cultivate leadership, networking and real-world experience. cultivate leadership, networking and real-world experience. 

As part of their competition submission, our students wrote, “We believe marketing is not just about selling. It is about storytelling, strategy and sparking meaningful engagement.”

Morgan, team lead who resides in Oklahoma, is working toward a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She said the competition experience helped her see that she had chosen the right career path.

“I enjoy the process of turning research into insight, insight into strategy and strategy into something people can feel and respond to,” Morgan said. “The AMA has given me the space to grow academically, professionally and personally, and I am grateful for the opportunity to develop the skills that will shape my future career.”

Yeampierre, an undergraduate marketing student who resides in Puerto Rico, said the combination of coursework and experiential learning is giving him the credentials to succeed in his career. 

“Marketing is like being an electrician or plumber. Hands-on work is essential,” he shared. “The theoretical knowledge from coursework matters, but these practical experiences through AMA competitions and student chapter involvement are where real-world learning happens.”

Palacios, a new member of the AMA WGU Collegiate Student Chapter who resides in Texas, shared that she already sees the value in being part of such an organization. 

“I can definitively say that even after just one competition, I know that this organization is going to give me the leg up I will need in this industry,” Palacios said. “I feel like it is preparing me for real-world issues and creating real-world solutions.”

Smith, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus in marketing, said her WGU courses helped equip her with the skills needed for the AMA competition. 

“My coursework taught me the foundations of marketing and business in a holistic way. Throughout my studies, I gained the confidence to apply academic concepts to real-world challenges,” she shared. “Thanks to WGU’s competency-based model, I developed strong strategy, decision and execution skills that directly supported our team’s effort.”

Smith, who resides in North Carolina, also expressed gratitude for the faculty and staff members behind the scenes who make such student opportunities possible. The student-led chapter is supported by faculty advisers Ashley Flynn, Lauren Bellflower, Amanda Mason and Rachel Hayes.

“I feel a tremendous amount of pride to not only support the AMA WGU Collegiate Student Chapter, but to also see first-hand students grow in experience and confidence that ultimately helps them thrive as marketing professionals,” Hayes said.

In March, the AMA will recognize competition participants during the AMA International Collegiate Conference in Chicago.