HIGH SPIRITS AMA EXCITES FANS By participating in the American Marketing Society, students had the opportunity to be a part of a group that helped them learn to organize, lead and participate in real-life marketing situations on campus. According to senior Marcos Tolentino, the club worked on projects involving marketing, research, sales, advertising, public relations and graphic design, which gave students a broader perspective and helped them learn to handle situations in other fields. "The purpose of AMA is basically like having an unpaid internship with the community," Tolentino said. "I have gotten a lot of experience from it." One of AMA's goals was to involve students by helping raise awareness for recent happenings on campus. In 2012, AMA raised awareness by giving information about organ donation. It was a way to get others involved in helping a good cause. In the fall, AMA took charge of a number of projects involving marketing for the basketball season. Senior Kyle Nossaman helped lead the Rowdie Run-Through held on Nov. 12 in the Rhodes Field House. Students planned to use this as an event similar to Midnight Madness to help fans learn the cheers and to get more involvement before the first home basketball game. There were snacks, giveaways and games to get students hyped for basketball season. The Bisons' season opener at home was on Nov. 14. According to Nossaman, the theme was The Gold Rush Game. At the Rowdie Run-Through, fans could get a ticket that allowed them to receive a gold T-shirt upon arrival at the game that evening. Another promotional component of the first basketball BITS game of the season was Mclartyville, an idea generated by Nossaman. The plan was to have music, food, face painting and games between the Rhodes and Lee building before the game. "AMA has hopes to make Mclartyville a lasting tradition," Nossaman said. "We believe that a basketball tailgate of sorts [will] be a big hit for the students and [will help] promote camaraderie and further school spirit. It [will] be a time where students [can] come together to eat, fellowship, paint faces and get pumped for the game as a Rhodes Rowdies unit." AMA was in charge of every aspect of these events. They had to generate publicity for the events, order food, hire musicians, buy paint and order T-shirts. This gave students such as Tolentino and Nossman the chance to learn firsthand how to act in business-like situations. Students majoring in electronic media production partnered with AMA to put together a Rhodes Rowdies promotional video that was used to encourage attendance at the Rowdie Run-Through, Mclartyville and The Gold Rush Game. Chancellor Dr. David B. Burks narrated the video, which was shown in chapel to generate attention for the events in hopes students would attend. AMA allowed students to be involved in events such as the Rowdie Run-Through where they learned how to manage time and money1 work together and market an idea. "AMA functions as an opportunity for real application of what we have been learning in class," senior AMA president Jeremiah McAlister said. "Marketing at its core is about finding ways to meet people's needs by providing products or services." Alex Ezell FPA Business Information Technology Students est. 2000: Row 1: A. Johnson, L. Rice, R. Cronk (sponsor), K. Thomas, A. Hackworth, N. Raihala, S. Greninger. Row 2: A. Waldrum, J. Stewart (sponsor), H. Mejia, A. Barkley, H. Church. Row 3: S. Ej, S. Ogburn, C. Smotherman, E. Bailey. Financial Planning Association Est. 2010: Row 1: J. Portillo, T. Pinch, M. Alexander, E. Delacruz, N. Astari, M. Gomez. Row 2: S. Best, M. Barrantes, C. Moody, L. Wolgamott, M. Lacefield, R. Preslar,J. Wells. Row 3:J. Kim, E. Sloan (sponsor), X. Zhang, K. Moran (sponsor), C. Whittington, E. Bailey.
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