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4th in Nation: OSU Sales Academy Sees Success through Leadership and Commitment
Powering through the winter 2022 competition calendar to a top-five finish on the national stage, the OSU Sales Academy boasts another solid year of success, led by Sales Academy Director Caitlyn Gill and sales team co-captains senior Isabella Johnson and junior Santosh Ramesh.
At the 2022 National Collegiate Sales Competition, with 72 universities competing to represent more than 600 students, OSU’s 10-member team earned fourth place overall, improving two positions since 2021 on this prestigious global stage for collegiate sales competitions.
Ramesh, who also is team co-captain and vice president of the Sales Club, finished second in the highly competitive Gartner-sponsored role-play event. This was his first appearance in the venerated Final Four after last’s year fifth-place individual finish, and follows successful wins at competitions in the run-up to this national stage. As well, Ramesh will intern with Gartner this summer, evidence of the importance that corporate partners play in cultivating the talent pipeline.
“Leadership has influenced my ability to succeed at competitions since it makes me realize that I have to be a role model for future students that come into OSU’s program, he said. “As a peer mentor for students, I’ve gotten a different perspective of what it means to create an impact at Oregon State. While I am excited to bring recognition to our wonderful programs through my wins, I also want to create a pattern of success for future OSU students. By helping others and passing down my skills, I am confident that we can create a snowball effect of successful winners for years to come.”
As evidence teammate, Rain Scarborough, a first-year in the College of Business, scored well in the NCSC role-play event, contributing to OSU’s strong finish. “I got involved with Sales Academy due to the enthusiasm of their leadership,” Scarborough said.
“At one of the first College of Business events of the year, the Club Fair, all us freshmen had to go. Santosh came up to me and some others and invited us to talk to him. He made Sales Club sound like so much fun, and his energy was contagious, so I decided to start attending meetings,” they said.
Scarborough will be co-marketing director for the Sales Club beginning next fall.
Senior Isabella Johnson, co-president of Sales Club and co-team captain of the Sales Academy competitive team, competed solidly at several events this season, but her signature achievement was coaching the Role Play team to a quarter-final finish at the University of Toledo Invitational Collegiate Sales Competition (UTICSC). 75 universities and more than 150 students participated in that competition.
“Coaching has always been an informal opportunity throughout my life, helping a friend in need, being there for my family, or taking a group project to the next level,” Johnson said. “However, this year I have the opportunity to professionally coach the sales team, and I think I have found my passion. I love seeing the hard work and sweat equity pay off for each of my teammates. Seeing them go from a mindset of ‘I do not think I can do this,’ to ‘I know I can do this is one of the best feelings I have experienced.’
Johnson starts a job with E & J Gallo after graduation, a prestigious and deserving accomplishment for the Sales Academy veteran. Gallo is one of the largest wineries in the world, a third-generation, family-owned business, and a Silver sponsor of the OSU Sales Academy.
March 2022
National Collegiate Sales Competition, hosted by Kennesaw State University
• OSU, 4th place overall
• Santosh Ramesh, 2nd place, Role Play event
• Rain Scarborough, scoring in Role Play event
• Katherine Gage and Brooke Fessenden, scoring in Speed Selling event
Western States Sales Competition, hosted by Chico State
• Isabella Johnson, Finals Role Play event
• Shahar Miles and Gabe Frazier Jenkins, scoring in Role Play event
February 2022
Redbird National Sales Competition, hosted by Illinois State University
• 1st place, Santosh Ramesh
Pacific Office Automation Pac-12 Sales Competition, hosted by Oregon State University
• Rain Scarborough and Natalie Wells, top 10 in Speed Selling event
• Nico Ross and Connor Bryson, quarter-finals on Role Play event
University of Toledo Invitational Collegiate Sales Competition (UTICSC)
• Gabby Gates and Nicholas Williams, quarter-finals in Role Play event, peer-coached by Isabella Johnson and Santosh Ramesh
International Collegiate Sales Competition, hosted by Florida State University
• Santosh Ramesh and Brooke Fessenden, second place in Case event, peer-coached by Isabella Johnson