ETSU's American Marketing Association Wins International Honorable Mention

Student organization recognized for case study on Major League Baseball marketing strategies.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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East Tennessee State University's chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) received an honorable mention for a case study they submitted to an international conference. The case study detailed marketing strategies for Major League Baseball. The ETSU AMA chapter will be attending the AMA International Collegiate Conference in Chicago, Illinois this week, where students will compete in various competitions and network with businesses.

Why it matters

The AMA chapter's recognition highlights the real-world marketing skills and experience ETSU students are gaining through the organization. Beyond competition season, the AMA also provides valuable consulting services to local small businesses in the Johnson City area, helping them with marketing strategy and promotion.

The details

ETSU's AMA chapter worked on the award-winning case study throughout the entire semester, conducting research and brainstorming to develop the marketing strategies. At the upcoming conference in Chicago, ETSU students will compete in events like the perfect pitch competition and sales competitions, as well as attend career fairs and networking opportunities with businesses.

  • The AMA chapter received the honorable mention on February 9, 2026.
  • ETSU's AMA chapter will attend the AMA International Collegiate Conference in Chicago, Illinois this week.

The players

Ipinoluwa Akintola

Vice president of recruitment for ETSU's AMA chapter.

ETSU's American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter

A student organization within the College of Business and Technology that is open to all ETSU students, providing marketing skills, experience, and networking opportunities.

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What they’re saying

“We worked on this through the entire semester. We brainstorm, we do research and we just put our all into it.”

— Ipinoluwa Akintola, Vice president of recruitment for ETSU's AMA chapter (East Tennessean)

“We have a perfect pitch competition, sales competitions and we have a lot of students competing in those categories. There will also be networking opportunities. We're going to see businesses and there are going to be career fairs.”

— Ipinoluwa Akintola, Vice president of recruitment for ETSU's AMA chapter (East Tennessean)

“We help local businesses promote themselves in Johnson City, because a lot of times small business owners don't have the capacity to take on 360-degree marketing organizations. So, what we do as students is we sit and we consult with local businesses and give them ideas on strategy.”

— Ipinoluwa Akintola, Vice president of recruitment for ETSU's AMA chapter (East Tennessean)

“As much as we're helping small businesses, we're also building up ourselves. One thing I believe is very distinct about AMA is that last summer, every single person who wanted an internship got one, because of the connections we have throughout the community and because of the skills we had equipped people with.”

— Ipinoluwa Akintola, Vice president of recruitment for ETSU's AMA chapter (East Tennessean)

What’s next

The ETSU AMA chapter will compete in various competitions and network with businesses at the AMA International Collegiate Conference in Chicago, Illinois this week.

The takeaway

The ETSU AMA chapter's recognition and involvement in the international conference highlights the valuable real-world marketing experience and skills the organization provides to its student members, who are gaining practical knowledge to complement their academic studies and boost their career prospects.