Connecting with the Next Generation of Marketers

Last month we had several SMPS members attend the Wichita State University Career Fair to represent the SMPS Wichita Chapter and the AEC industry. We had interest from students majoring in communications, marketing, and business stop by the booth and visit with our chapter. Our student committee of Steve Hauck, Lauren Clary, Erin Koehn, and Rebecca Ignowski are focusing their efforts to get students involved in our chapter. They talked to about thirty students and have invited them to our lunch programs. These students will start receiving information from our chapter. If you see them at a program or event, please make them feel welcome.

Our chapter knows investing in the future of our industry and introducing students to our industry will be important to educate individuals about how marketing and business development in the AEC industry is a viable option after graduation. We will show them how exciting our industry is and how we can help them professionally grow in our industry.

We will foster our relationship with WSU and hope to mimic that relationship with the other local schools in and around Wichita. This will only elevate our profession and allow students to know they have options besides working for an agency, public relations, or other marketing type firm. If you would like to get involved in the student committee or have other ideas to close the gap on this, please contact Lauren or Erin (lauren.clary@pec1.com or ekoehn@ebycorp.com).

We look forward to this relationship and mentoring and coaching our young talent to enter into the AEC world.

Lindsay L. Young, CPSM

SMPS Wichita Chapter President