2026 AMA Collegiate Career Week

Beyond the Transaction: Building a Career in Marketing That Moves People

What does it take to build a marketing career that does more than sell? In this session, marketing and communications leader Janna M. Joyner takes students behind the scenes of mission-driven marketing, drawing from her career across nonprofit organizations, agency ownership and organizational leadership. Students will explore how strong marketers turn mission into message, stories into strategy, and attention into lasting relationships built on trust. Through real-world examples from her work with organizations like Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Janna will unpack how marketers communicate impact, build brands people believe in, and balance audience needs with organizational goals. Along the way, she’ll share the skills, experiences and mindset that have shaped her career and challenge emerging marketers to think beyond the transaction and build careers that move people, strengthen relationships and create meaningful impact.

Marketing as a Career Superpower

Marketing gives you an extraordinary foundation because every organization needs people who understand people. Whether you pursue marketing, entrepreneurship, consulting, or wealth management, your ability to build relationships, communicate value, adapt, and earn trust will help differentiate you. And the great news is that you don’t have to wait for your first job to start building those skills.

Marketing Startup Challenge Powered by Ditto Information Session

Ditto is a student-led campus matchmaking platform backed by Google with over 200,000 students nationwide. Students answer a few questions about what they’re looking for and what actually matters to them. Then, every Wednesday at 7 p.m., Ditto texts them one match and a planned date: the time, the place, and why the two of them would click. The only decision is whether to go. No swiping.

The AMA Collegiate Community has partnered with Ditto to host a Marketing Startup Challenge! Your objective: Get more of your campus on Ditto than any other AMA chapter.

Every signup is tracked to your chapter via a dedicated QR code, and the chapter with the most signups wins. A signup can include, but is not limited to, AMA general members, friends, other campus organizations, and any other users acquired through your marketing initiatives.

This information session, led by Ditto representative Viktor Tesarczyk, will cover what participating chapters can expect and how to leverage their marketing skills to drive signups, build campus awareness, and grow Ditto’s presence at their university. Attendees will learn more about the challenge, explore strategies for reaching new audiences, and get their questions answered before registering for the challenge and putting their creativity and marketing know-how to the test!

Turning Your Skills, Story & Experience Into Opportunity

What if the things you’re naturally interested in, the skills you’ve developed and the experiences you’ve gained could become some of your greatest career assets? In this session, I’ll share my journey from broadcast journalism student to social media director, entrepreneur and communications professional, highlighting how I leveraged my interests, developed transferable skills, built my personal brand and intentionally pursued experiences that shaped my career. Students will leave with practical strategies for identifying their own strengths, building influence both online and in person and turning their experiences into opportunities that move their careers forward.

Built to Sell: The Skills and Coachability That Drive Sales Success

What separates top sellers from the rest? Success in sales requires more than product knowledge or natural ability—it depends on a combination of communication, relationship-building, resilience, curiosity, problem-solving, and a commitment to continuous improvement. This session explores the essential skills and behaviors that enable sellers to build trust, understand customer needs, navigate challenges, and consistently deliver results.

We’ll also examine the importance of the competency we hire for: being a coachable quick learner. In a sales role, coachability means actively seeking feedback, embracing new ideas, adapting to changing customer needs, and applying lessons to improve performance. Quick learners turn coaching into action, develop confidence, and continually refine their approach.

Participants will gain a practical understanding of how coachability supports sales success and how the right mindset, combined with focused skill development, can help sellers grow from new performers into high-impact professionals.

Marketing Startup Challenge Powered by Ditto Information Session

Ditto is a student-led campus matchmaking platform backed by Google with over 200,000 students nationwide. Students answer a few questions about what they’re looking for and what actually matters to them. Then, every Wednesday at 7 p.m., Ditto texts them one match and a planned date: the time, the place, and why the two of them would click. The only decision is whether to go. No swiping.

The AMA Collegiate Community has partnered with Ditto to host a Marketing Startup Challenge! Your objective: Get more of your campus on Ditto than any other AMA chapter.

Every signup is tracked to your chapter via a dedicated QR code, and the chapter with the most signups wins. A signup can include, but is not limited to, AMA general members, friends, other campus organizations, and any other users acquired through your marketing initiatives.

This information session, led by Ditto representative Viktor Tesarczyk, will cover what participating chapters can expect and how to leverage their marketing skills to drive signups, build campus awareness, and grow Ditto’s presence at their university. Attendees will learn more about the challenge, explore strategies for reaching new audiences, and get their questions answered before registering for the challenge and putting their creativity and marketing know-how to the test!

Building an Untraditional Path to a Career in Marketing and Advertising

What can a career in marketing actually look like across industries, companies, and agencies? Through perspectives spanning tech, financial services, and CPG, this panel explores the many ecosystems where marketers can build their careers—and how students can use their interests, skills, and experiences to create a path that works for them, even if it doesn’t follow a traditional playbook.

Beyond the Transaction: Building a Career in Marketing That Moves People

What does it take to build a marketing career that does more than sell? In this session, marketing and communications leader Janna M. Joyner takes students behind the scenes of mission-driven marketing, drawing from her career across nonprofit organizations, agency ownership and organizational leadership. Students will explore how strong marketers turn mission into message, stories into strategy, and attention into lasting relationships built on trust. Through real-world examples from her work with organizations like Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Janna will unpack how marketers communicate impact, build brands people believe in, and balance audience needs with organizational goals. Along the way, she’ll share the skills, experiences and mindset that have shaped her career and challenge emerging marketers to think beyond the transaction and build careers that move people, strengthen relationships and create meaningful impact.

Marketing to Sales: With an AMA Insider at Gartner's Office Hours

Curious about how to transition from marketing into a career in sales? Join the Gartner team for an informal office hours session designed to answer your questions about exploring, pursuing, and succeeding in sales. Hear insights from a Gartner insider (who was an AMA president) about the skills that translate from marketing to sales, what hiring teams look for, and what day-to-day life is like in a sales role. Bring your questions about career paths, recruiting, interviews, onboarding, and professional growth. This is an open and candid opportunity to learn more about building a successful sales career at Gartner.

Virtual Digital Marketing Competition, sponsored by Gerber Life - Final Round Presentations

Finalist teams will present their submissions for the Virtual Digital Marketing to the Gerber Life team, highlighting their strategies and approach to their digital marketing campagin. All are welcome to join and observe!

Momentum Over Maps

Lessons from an Unpredictable Career Journey while Navigating Ambiguity