For five years and counting, Marquette’s Center for Professional Selling has innovated sales education. Inspired by the introduction of sales courses in 2015 by Dr. Alex Milovic, this curricula has evolved into a multifaceted, experiential center that supports students across the university with an interest in professional selling.
Housed within the College of Business Administration, the Center for Professional Selling was established in 2021 and remains the only sales center based at a Jesuit university. For this reason, the center is uniquely positioned to emphasize Marquette’s Catholic, Jesuit values within the field, producing impactful sales professionals who deliver ethical expertise and meaningful solutions.
In addition to sales curricula and industry engagement initiatives, the center is home to the Sales Leadership Academy, a hands-on, co-curricular experience open to all Marquette students interested in strengthening their professional skillset. Explore five facts that showcase the impact of this growing program:
100% job placement rate
Since 2021, every student involved in the Center for Professional Selling has secured a full-time career opportunity within six months of graduation. Graduates are strongly positioned in the applicant pool because of their real-world sales experience and leverage impactful industry connections to secure employment opportunities.
Because experiential learning is a cornerstone of sales curricula, students have the opportunity to step into sales roles with industry partners. This, paired with sales consulting and competition experiences, means every student graduates with industry standard sales metrics. From cold calls and dollars raised to sales closed, students begin building their sales resume before entering industry, allowing them to fast-track their professional journey. Companies currently employing graduates include GE Healthcare, Pepsi Co, Salesforce, Milwaukee Tool, Molson Coors, Fiserv and more!
Annual exposure to 30+ companies
Through involvement in the Center for Professional Selling, students are directly connected with over 30 industry partners each year. Students connect face-to-face with top employers and industry professionals at a variety of events, including developmental workshops, sales role plays and competitions, networking sessions. Annual Partners include Rehlko, Vyron, Rite-Hite, M3 Insurance, Flexera and Diversatek, and applied learning opportunities are held with notable organizations like Summerfest and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Over $5,000 donated to charities through student sales efforts
True to Marquette’s values, care for the community remains central. The center’s annual Pitch Purpose event empowers students to give back to charitable organizations, offering first-hand selling experience doubled with positive impact. Each year, the center donates money to a charity of the winner’s choosing, such as Best Buddies, Team IMPACT and No Empty Seats. Students are also able to raise funds through Give Marquette Day and corporate partner solicitation.
Additionally, students work directly with nonprofits through the Service Learning program as part of the Advanced Selling course. Student teams have collaborated with partners, including nonprofits like Be the Match, Wisconsin DECA and Project Echelon, on a variety of sales projects that span value proposition development to prospecting and closing sales.
Alumni network 1,000+ strong
Involvement with the Center for Professional Selling doesn’t stop at graduation. With two dedicated alumni social events each year and regular participation in sales role plays, alumni are encouraged to contribute to the next generation of sales leaders through mentoring and coaching initiatives. This strong relationship pipeline produces job offers each year.
Over 1,000 miles traveled annually to compete
Immersive sales experiences stretch far beyond campus. Each year, sales students travel to Orlando to participate in the International Collegiate Sales Competition, the leading sales competition in the world. This event brings together 80 schools and nearly 40 employers for an impactful week of industry connection. Closer to home, Center for Professional Selling students visit Chicago each fall to connect with companies like Unum, Salesforce and Uber. Marquette students also participate in a head-to-head competition with Winona State sponsored by M3 Insurance, practicing real-world skills that prepare them for success.
Ready to get involved? Interested students can visit the Center for Professional Selling webpage and reach out to Assistant Director Layne Vander Heyden to learn more.
