Engage with the Center
There are many ways to engage with the Center for Professional Sales, but they all have one common thread: the direct connection with students and the chance to draw on your career experience to add dimension to their classroom learning. From guest speaking to attending networking events to playing the role of buyer or judge in a sales competition, you can find a way to engage that fits your schedule and leverages your expertise.
Start bringing student career dreams into focus by contacting Richard Tate.
Get in front of students while contributing a valuable component to their education. You can share your career journey, business success and industry insights with them in undergraduate classrooms or at a marketing student organization meeting.
Leverage your JMU passion and professional networks by becoming a mentor. Join the private JMU College of Business Career Mentor Network on LinkedIn to connect with other JMU alumni and students. Provide invaluable career advice and guidance from the business world to those seeking to develop their networking skills, explore their career options and develop their knowledge of industry news and trends.
Reach out to JMU's University Career Center office for your personnel recruitment needs. Gain career-ready students who assimilate more quickly than their peers, exceed the average tenure and work well in teams. Meet short-term employment needs with highly skilled interns from a specific degree field or academic interest.
Collaborate with our Center for Professional Sales faculty to stay ahead of the curve in today's dynamic sales landscape. Our expert faculty conduct advanced research in professional selling, sales technology, and leadership, delivering customized, data-driven insights that directly enhance your organization's sales performance.
Learn more about how our tailored, research-backed strategies can help you overcome sales challenges and achieve excellence in your organization
Invest in the Center
A donation to the CPS is an investment in the truest sense, one where your funds open doors. The Professional Sales Corporate Partnership Program provides companies with the opportunity to engage directly with our students and participate in their educational development.
We are seeking corporate partners who are eager to engage with students through applied, real-world sales learning experiences while strengthening their talent pipeline and campus visibility.
Our three donation-based tier levels offer engagement opportunities that match your desire to be involved:
Includes all Gold benefits, plus:
Signature Competition & Premium Access
- Fall Competition Naming Rights (JMU-hosted): Name the JMU CPS Sales Competition & Networking Dinner, serve as the primary scenario partner, have the opportunity to provide all buyers (four needed), and announce competition winners during the networking dinner.
- Fall Competition Participation (JMU-hosted): Up to six corporate representatives may participate as judges, buyers, or observers.
- Spring State Competition Invitation (Rotating Location): Up to four corporate representatives invited to serve as judges or observers.
- Travel and lodging are the responsibility of the partner.
Classroom & Student Engagement
- Primary Classroom Role Play (Each Semester): Serve once each semester as the primary partner using your company’s product/service scenario and provide two buyer roles. Role plays are typically preceded by a classroom information session to introduce your company, its opportunities, and to prepare students for their roleplays.
- Professional Selling Class Presentation (Each Semester): Present once per semester on an educational sales topic (not solely a recruiting pitch).
- Student Organization Presentation (Each Semester): Present once per semester to an active JMU business student organization approved by the Center (e.g., Professional Sales Club, Madison Marketing Association).
- Priority Buyer Pool Participation: Priority access to serve as a corporate buyer in other partners’ classroom role plays (as scheduling permits).
- Networking Event Invitations: Attend CPS off-campus networking events (typically offered each semester).
- Role Play Video Access: Access (with student permission) to CPS competition role play videos.
Premium Talent & Partnership Value
- Priority Job Posting Distribution: Priority placement/timing for distributing job opportunities to CPS students through Center communication channels.
- Platinum Priority Scheduling: Priority scheduling for high-demand CPS touchpoints (role plays, class visits, competition buyer/judge participation).
- Platinum Recruiting Day (Annual): One Center-hosted recruiting day (coffee chats/speed networking/resume reviews; optional interview blocks if desired).
- Enhanced Partner Spotlight: Corporate logo and campus recruiter contact information will appear on the Center's website along with links to current career opportunities.
Includes all Silver benefits, plus:
Competition Engagement
- Fall Competition Access (JMU-hosted): Up to two corporate representatives may participate as judges or observers.
- Spring State Competition Invitation (Rotating Location): Up to two corporate representatives invited to serve as judges or observers.
- Travel and lodging are the responsibility of the partner.
Classroom & Student Engagement
- Primary Classroom Role Play (Annual): Serve once per academic year as the primary partner using your company’s product/service scenario and provide two buyer roles. Role plays are typically preceded by a full class period information session to introduce your company and your opportunities and prepare students for their role plays..
- Professional Selling Class Presentation (Each Semester): Present once per semester on an educational sales topic (not solely a recruiting pitch).
- Student Organization Presentation (Each Semester): Present once per semester to an active JMU business student organization approved by the Center (e.g., Professional Sales Club, Madison Marketing Association).
- Buyer Pool Participation: Participate as a corporate buyer in other partners’ classroom role plays (as needs scheduling permit).
- Networking Event Invitations: Attend CPS off-campus networking events (typically offered each semester).
Brand & Visibility
- Partner Spotlight: Campus recruiter contact information will appear on the Center's website along with links to current career opportunities.
Talent & Recruiting Support
- Job Posting Distribution: CPS assistance posting and distributing job opportunities to CPS students through Center communication channels.
Campus Engagement
- Fall Competition Access (JMU-hosted): One corporate representative may participate as a judge or observer at the JMU CPS Sales Competition & Networking Dinner.
- Student Organization Presentation (Annual): One presentation per year to an active JMU business student organization approved by the Center (e.g., Professional Sales Club, Madison Marketing Association).
- Buyer Pool Participation: Participate as a corporate buyer in other partners’ classroom role plays (as need and scheduling permit).
- Networking Event Invitation (Annual): Attend one CPS off-campus networking event per year (offered each semester)
Talent & Recruiting Support
- Job Posting Distribution: CPS assistance posting and distributing job opportunities to CPS students through Center communication channels.
- Partner Spotlight – Campus recruiter contact information will appear on the Center's web site
Platinum
TEK Systems
Gold
ALKU • CoStar Group, Inc.
Cvent. • Gartner
memoryBlue. • Ricoh
RIFP • Tom James
Vertosoft
Silver
Benco Dental
Henry Schein Inc.
Sherwin Williams
Opportunities for all through the JMU Career Center
- Opportunities to conduct practice job interviews with students.
- Register for an information session or an information table can be set up at various high-traffic locations across campus.
- Post company logo or information on digital bulletin boards.
- Register and organize semester University-wide Career Fair participation.
Invest in your employees
The CPS can also help you invest in your current employees and develop their skill sets.
Boost your team’s sales skills and refine their understanding of client relationships with regard to establishing trust and demonstrating product features by having the CPS as a training partner.
Drawing on over 50 years of combined marketing industry experience and three decades of academic research experience, the center is a unique sales resource-rich tool ready to develop continuing education and certificate programs that address the specific needs and goals of your sales team.
Whether you need to enhance communications skills or want to gain real working knowledge of new digital technologies and approaches, the CPS can help your teams reach their potential and exceed their goals.
Be an advocate for JMU while helping your employees--or yourself--develop potential and deliver refined skills to your company’s efforts by supporting their graduate studies in programs like the JMU MBA Programs. Reach out to mba@jmu.edu for more information.