In an effort to prepare Miami University students for the world beyond college, Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), a co-ed marketing and sales business fraternity, will be sponsoring a new executive speaker series beginning next month.
"This lecture series is geared toward all majors," said senior Matt Cunningham, president of PSE. "We want to give students a perspective they cannot get in the classroom. Marketing and market research affects all majors, not just the business school."
Through conducting market research last year, PSE was able to form a general public opinion before deciding what students would want from such a series. PSE then used the results gathered to shape ideas for the executive speaker series.
"This is really geared toward the students and what they want," Cunningham said.
"The students said they wanted to hear people who care and have enough energy to keep their attention: speakers from all realms of the business world."
PSE has been working since last spring to put this series together and they plan to work with the business school to fund and promote the events.
One reason PSE has high hopes for the series, they explain, is because of their strong relationships with a variety of nationally and locally renowned companies.
"We wanted to use our connections in the business world to enrich the Miami population and involve more people," said senior Jessica Howerth, vice president of public relations for PSE. "These topics affect everyone."
PSE hopes to get three or four influential speakers throughout the semester from a variety of backgrounds, but as of now, only one has been confirmed.
The first speaker will be Miami alumna Joan Lewis, who is manager of consumer and market knowledge for the global operations of Proctor & Gamble. Lewis will speak on "The Future of Market Research" at 6 p.m., Oct. 3, in 128 Pearson.
The speakers will share experiences, offer advice, and engage in discussion with students to give them a better understanding of the business world.
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PSE also invites selected executive speakers to speak at their chapter meetings throughout each semester, but Cunningham and Howerth are excited to expand the series to the entire Miami campus.
"We want to develop students outside the chapter," Howerth said. "We're hoping to give students a new perspective of what to expect after Miami."
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