Florida State University is home to a proud chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA), an organization intended to help students cultivate their marketing skills to grow professionally and personally. Behind this organization’s success is president Haley Power.
Her Campus (HC): How did you initially discover the American Marketing Association (AMA)? What made you want to join?
Haley Power (HP): Back in 2020, when I was a freshman in my spring semester, everything was happening over Zoom but I knew that I wanted to get involved and I knew I wanted to get involved fast. AMA was one of the very few student organizations that were still trying to do things virtually. During my freshman year, they opened up executive board applications so I told myself I was just going to go for it. I went, applied and I ended up getting the VP of Finance role which was super exciting. I enjoyed my first year on the board, so when it came time to run for the presidential position, I went for it. That’s how I ended up here.
HC: For somebody who may be unfamiliar with AMA, how would you define the goals of AMA?
HP: I think AMA is very open to everyone. We are always trying to help all of our members, both personally and professionally, to market themselves better. Yes, AMA consists of marketing and business, but you can fit marketing anywhere in your life. If you need help with a resume, or you haven’t started and you don’t know how to, you can come to us and we will go through every step with you. Whatever it is, there’s no judgment. Whether or not you’ve done an internship, whether or not you even have any job experience—we’re here to help everybody.
HC: As president, what are some of the day-to-day responsibilities that you’re in charge of?
HP: Every week, we have our executive board meetings. My responsibility is to make sure that everything goes smoothly. So, if we have an event coming up next week certain questions have to be asked: Can we get a graphic up at a certain time? Do we have the speaker officially set? Is outreach going well? Is the newsletter being sent? It’s a lot of checking up on people. I like to make sure that my tasks are delegated so I’m not doing everything myself, so it’s about preparing every week and getting things ready. I’m not a micromanager, but I do constantly want to check up on my team to make sure they don’t need anything. A lot of them tell me that I’m a mom and that I give off “mom energy,” but I just want to make sure everyone’s doing okay. I love to see everyone on my board succeed, and I’m blessed to have such an amazing team.
HC: You’ve mentioned how inclusive AMA is for students. Could you elaborate on that?
HP: It’s very inclusive. We get history majors who need help with their resumes, or LinkedIn’s or just getting that professional touch. I always tell people that it’s a great way to get marketing experience without having to commit to a major which is awesome. A lot of job recruiters come directly to us, so it’s a great way to get experience. It can be very hard to find people who will teach you these things, so that’s what we’re here for. We’re not here to bark at you, but to coach and walk you through the process.
HC: What have you learned from being a part of AMA? Personally or professionally speaking?
HP: There are so many things that I have learned, but I will focus on the leadership aspect of AMA. Being a woman, especially in business, has been challenging. I see it all the time. As the president of an RSO that has to go to the college of business and speak with department chairs, I have to meet with a lot of older men who can be very intimidating. I think being in AMA has empowered me. I’m constantly learning and improving my leadership skills. AMA has taught me how to lead and manage a team and different types of people. It’s also taught me to stand my ground and have confidence which you need as a woman and as a leader. Sometimes, men will look down on you and think that you’re not qualified, but you are. You know you are.
HC: What do you believe to be the most useful resource AMA is offering students?
HP: Definitely connections. Networking is so important. Everywhere. Not just in business, but in every single industry, it’s about who you know. We bring in a lot of guest speakers. A lot of them are recruiters who hold a lot of power and who are higher-up individuals. If you’re interested in a company, it’s so important to make connections by going up to those speakers after a presentation or meeting. AMA is also part of a national organization, so it doesn’t just end after college. It goes on throughout your entire life. AMA is all over the country so if you move to a new place, you can join a chapter there and make connections. It’s such a unique opportunity.
HC: What advice would you give to someone in a leadership role?
HP: Be patient. Patience is key. Not everything that you want to get done is going to get done immediately. When working on a team, you are going to disagree and you’re not always going to be on the same page. As a leader, it’s important to work hard, do your best and be there for your team. We are all full-time college students and we have our own lives. Things happen so you need to have trust and faith in your teammates.
On top of her responsibilities working part-time at a law firm and being an active member of the Student Union Board and Delta Delta Delta, Power has dedicated her time and hard work to being president of AMA. Her passion for AMA was one of the first things I noticed about her, and AMA is lucky to have her.
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