Speaker Night sparks interest for National Agri-Marketing Association at Mizzou

by Lauren Dye, posted Oct. 5, 2009

What is missing from the lineup of organizations in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? A National Agri-Marketing chapter is the answer and the link to success CAFNR students are missing out on said Lance Burditt, group director, and Kristen Marshall, account supervisor, from Nicholson Kovac in Kansas City, Mo.

Burditt and Marshall spoke to students at CAFNR Week Speaker Night on Wednesday, Sept. 17, about the National Agri-Marketing Association and the benefits students would gain by starting a chapter at the University of Missouri.

“Speaker Night gives students the opportunity to interact with current professionals in the agricultural industry,” said John Kirchhoff, CAFNR week activities committee member. “This benefits the students because they get a first-hand glimpse into the opportunities available after college.”

NAMA is an organization that focuses not only on a student chapter but also on a student marketing competition held annually at the Agri-Marketing Conference. Each student team develops a comprehensive marketing plan from the ground up on a specific topic of their choice.

“No other activity gave me the same experience as the student marketing competition,” Burditt said.

The student marketing competition gives students the ability to gain teamwork and leadership experience while bringing a real-world model of a product to the market. Marshall said students gain a very thorough knowledge of the marketing profession by presenting a marketing plan to business professionals. These professionals attend the Agri-Marketing Conference looking for future interns and employees.

“Students get the advantage of a real-world business setting where you are talking in front of real-life business professionals,” Marshall said.

NAMA is not only an organization for student members, but also has a large professional membership.

“A professional chapter affords professional marketers the opportunity to network and participate in continuing education type activities that otherwise won’t happen in a typical work week,” Burditt said.

The University of Missouri used to have a NAMA chapter but minimal student involvement led to an end of NAMA at Mizzou.

“I hope students get excited because the passion for a chapter is clearly present and students would be missing out on a real-life jumpstart to their career,” said Cheryl Ficken, agricultural education senior.

More than 15 students stayed to talk to Burditt and Marshall about their interest in NAMA and what they needed to do to establish a chapter at the University.

“I think NAMA is a very unique organization, and Mizzou currently doesn’t have one like it,” said Jessica Denker, agribusiness management junior. “I would like to see a chapter started at Mizzou.” 

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