TALKING IN CLASS. Janelle McFarland and John Klein laugh and visit during tax class. Janelle was a member of the SAM organization. - Photo by Jim Schiefelbein Business Organizations: Society for the Advancement of Management, American Marketing Association, Economics T earn, Pi Gamma Psi, worked to promote business excellence in their fields It would have been easy to overlook the seemingly meaningless abbreviations of Harding's many business organizations. However, these groups were made of our recognizable peers who spent many long hours completing the various accomplishments of the year. The Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) was involved in offering educational opportunities as well as service projects to its members this year. President Alice Gay said, "I've learned about organization as I have helped plan these activities and knowing my strengths and weaknesses has made me appreciate others and understand all that is involved in professional business." Through her leadership SAM organized a spring series of speakers on management techniques, community service projects with United Way, the first Harding group tour of the new Wal-Mart Distribution Center, and the Student Emergency Fund. The American Marketing Association (AMA) had an equally busy year. Senior Carla Madar, president of AMA president said, "The best things about AMA were the hands-on experience we received and the creative thinking we learned." The experience she mentioned included the Shadow Program, the facet of AMA that allowed students to walk in the "shadow" of a selected marketing excutive for a day. This year's Economics team included veteran members as well as a few rookies. Though this successful six member Economics Team competed much of the school year, they were also involved in service projects. By spreading the free enterprise system on the local, civic, and educational levels, Jason Pace, veteran team member, felt they "served and learned by teaching others." Pi Gamma Psi, a group for accounting-related majors, aspired to keep communications open for those preparing to search for careers after graduation. This club strove to inform members of the latest advancements in the field. It also prepared students for job opportunities by hosting mock interviews. Senior accounting major Lee Bell commented, "Pi Gamma Psi has given me some practical experience that has shown me the finer points of interviewing." One can not possibly know the amount of time and effort put forth by sponsors and members of these clubs to provide these services for the student body and community, however, it was obvious that these organizations were more than just initials on a yearbook page. by Susan Vaughn SAM, AMA, Economics team, Pi Gamma Psi 279
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