Kent State University College of Business Unveils New Fastenal Professional Sales Laboratories

KENT, Ohio - Oct. 3, 2016 - PRLog -- The Fastenal Professional Sales Laboratories were presented on September 19 as a gift to Kent State University's College of Business Administration. Fastenal provided Kent State with a $25,000 pledge to build a new sales laboratory and update the existing sales lab on the fifth floor.

"We are thrilled to have such a wonderful facility to share with sales students," said Ellen Daniels, marketing and entrepreneurship course instructor in the College of Business Administration. "We are looking forward to our continued partnership with Fastenal. The new lab will help accommodate nearly 300 sales students who use the lab regularly each semester."

The lab provides a realistic office environment for students to be recorded while they role play specific sales scenarios with a faculty member or corporate partner playing the role of the buyer. Following the recording, each student is able to watch themselves and receive an evaluation on effectiveness as well as a plan for specific areas needing improvement. In addition, the Kent State College of Business Administration Sales Team uses the lab space to prepare for national sales competitions.

"I am excited to see how the sales lab will benefit me at sales competition and in my future as a salesperson," said Mari'ssa McKinney, student at the College of Business Administration. "It will certainly enhance my education and give sales students like myself hand-on experience." Mari'ssa is a junior finance, marketing and sales student, and is an active member of Pi Sigma Epsilon Sales Fraternity.

In addition to renovating the existing sales lab, Fastenal's donation will also be utilized for student professional sales development and competition travel.

Fastenal provides companies with the fasteners, tools and supplies they need to manufacture products, build structures, protect personnel and maintain facilities and equipment. Guided by the motto of "Growth Through Customer Service," their local teams work closely with customers to keep needed supplies flowing, provide supply chain solutions and expertise and drive business improvements that help them compete and thrive.

To learn more about the College of Business Administration's sales department, visit http://www.kent.edu/business/departments

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Kent State University's College of Business Administration is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) and one of the largest colleges of business in Ohio. The College has more than 4,300 students representing 50 countries with over 85 full-time faculty from 16 countries.

The college grants undergraduate through graduate degrees, and is one of only three public business colleges in Ohio with a comprehensive Ph.D. program. The MBA program is offered in an accelerated format. The Executive MBA program offers two tracks: one targeting corporate professionals and the other healthcare executives. The M.S. in Accounting and M.A. in Economics are specialized master's degrees for those seeking advanced study in these disciplines. The College also offers a Master of Science in degree in Business Analytics (MSBA) for those with business analytics expertise that spans all industries and organizations. The college boasts 10 undergraduate majors, 12 minors and a Professional Sales Certificate program.

The college is listed as a Best Business School by Princeton Review, ranked as a Best Business College by U.S. News and World Report, one of only 23 accounting programs worldwide to be endorsed by the IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), ranked Top-Tier for Executive Education in North America by CEO Magazine and ranked fourth by the SEF (Sales Education Foundation) in Ohio for Professional Sales Education.

The college boasts an onsite Career Services Center and International Programs Office dedicated to business students, and operates the Global Management Center, the Center for Information Systems and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation all propelling scholarly research, establishing innovative industry partnerships and providing outreach to Northeast Ohio and beyond.

Media Contacts:
Joni Bowen, Public Relations and Media Specialist, work: (330) 672-1279, cell: (330) 221-0637, jbowen1@kent.edu