UW-Whitewater students excel at 2020 Pi Sigma Epsilon National Awards program
May 07, 2020
Written by Dana Krems
Members of the UW-Whitewater Pi Sigma Epsilon – Beta Gamma chapter made their mark at the 2020 PSE National Awards Program held virtually on April 11. This annual conference features competitive events designed to help students develop critical career skills.
Two Warhawks earned special honors during the program. Jessica Rossignol, senior finance and marketing major, was awarded the PSE Mu Kappa Tau scholarship in recognition of her contributions in the classroom and to PSE. Students must be part of PSE as well as Mu Kappa Tau, the national marketing honor society, to be eligible for this award.
Ethan Allison, senior finance major, was a finalist in the Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon. This event helps develop and train aspiring salespeople.
Based on his leadership and outstanding performance as past president and the chapter’s current director of sales and sales team captain, Allison also earned the Arno Kleimenhagen Memorial Scholarship, a meaningful award to the UW-Whitewater campus community.
Arno Kleimenhagen, Professor Emeritus of the UW-Whitewater Department of Marketing, passed away in March 2017. His rich legacy included founding the university’s marketing department, as well as its Collegiate American Marketing Association and Pi Sigma Epsilon chapters. He was renowned for excellence in his field and his commitment to his students. Kleimenhagen was recognized by Pi Sigma Epsilon as an Honorary Life Member, the highest form of recognition awarded by PSE.
The chapter’s overall advancement was made evident at the national conference. Beta Gamma earned the Most Improved Chapter Award, recognizing their outstanding growth and improvement in chapter operations. The chapter was also named a finalist for the Top Silver Chapter award, which recognizes excellence in all areas of operations.
“Several members stepped into leadership roles to turn what had been a declining membership trend into a year of tremendous growth,” faculty advisor Robert Boostrom, associate professor of marketing, said. “Not only did we recruit more freshman members than any other chapter nationwide, but we brought in some very high-quality new members who have become key contributors.”
“Our goal is to have a student organization that runs like a business and feels like a family,” Boostrom added. “The PSE executive board has worked hard to achieve that vision.”
“PSE made a huge impact on me and gave me experiences that I would never have thought I would have,” Allison said. “The organization taught me so much through experiential learning that classes simply can’t.”
“It was the best decision I made during my collegiate career, and I’m grateful for all the memories and connections I have made with business professionals from around the country.”
Pi Sigma Epsilon is a fraternity for sales, marketing, and management. The organization is open to all majors, and it helps prepare students to be career-ready through experiential learning, regional and national conferences, and networking with industry professionals.