Spring 2025 Semester Recap

AMA Web Team
4 days ago
7 min read

As the semester comes to a close, its the perfect time to reflect on everything UMD AMA was up to this semester. From our AMAzing workshops to hosting the unforgettable UMC, this semester was packed with exciting, hands-on opportunities for members to think like marketers, build valuable connections, and strengthen their skills. Here's what we achieved this semester!

Analyzing Superbowl Ads

AMA teamed up with the Sports Business Society (SBS) for an exciting night analyzing this year’s most memorable Super Bowl ads. Members explored key marketing strategies like brand positioning, target audience alignment, and celebrity endorsements, while discussing the long-term impact of advertising during one of the most-watched events of the year. Ads from brands like Poppi, Nike, and Angel Soft sparked great interest, and the hands-on workshop challenged members to create their own Super Bowl ad concepts for major brands like Amazon and Spotify. The event blended creativity, collaboration, and insight into what makes Super Bowl commercials so influential.

Internship Panel

To kick off internship season, AMA hosted an insightful panel featuring four executive board members, Maeve Smarick, Isabella Guggino, Mathew Calderon, and Cam Climer, who shared experiences from their summer internships and offered practical advice for landing and thriving in career-building roles. From brand-building at Giant Food and impactful non-profit work at the American Cancer Society to digital marketing at Stanley Martin Homes and veteran outreach with Building Dreams for Marines, each panelist shared lessons learned, favorite projects, and key takeaways on workplace culture, adaptability, and professional growth. The panel wrapped up with thoughtful answers to audience questions about standing out with limited experience, staying motivated in a competitive job market, and the value of mission-driven work, leaving attendees inspired and better equipped to pursue their own career journeys.

Branding Workshop w/ Strategic Factory

At AMA’s exclusive branding workshop, members had the unique opportunity to dive into the power of branding with expert Bobby Cardoni, Director of Business Development at Strategic Factory. Bobby shared insights from his 20-year marketing career and emphasized that a brand is far more than a logo, it’s the emotional connection and perception people have of a business. Through real-world examples, members learned how branding reflects company values, enhances customer experience, and drives long-term loyalty. From branded apparel to immersive environmental design, Bobby demonstrated how every detail contributes to a cohesive brand identity. His discussion on the Snickers “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign highlighted the impact of relatable, memorable messaging. The night wrapped up with an engaging brand recognition activity that showed just how powerful consistent branding can be.

Jeopardy Night

Jeopardy Night was an exciting opportunity to collaborate with UMD’s Business & IT Society (BITS), Business Beyond Borders (BBB), and the Women in Business Association (WBA) in a Jeopardy-inspired Business Trivia Night! The hosts for the evening guided participants through the event, where teams of 5-6 competed against one another, putting their business knowledge to the test and networking with members from other clubs! Participants played two rounds of questions, fighting to get points on the board in categories such as emerging tech, marketing buzzwords, entrepreneurs and startups, and more. This interactive event fostered networking between the four clubs while gaining insight into key business and marketing topics relevant to today’s working world.

Case Competition

The Spring 2025 Case competition allowed members to gain experience in an interactive and hands-on case competition in which participants were able to put their innovation and creative thinking to the test by designing a new product for a large-scale company. Teams were asked to develop a 3-minute presentation in response to the following brief: Coca-Cola is losing a lot of business due to the current boycotts. PepsiCo wants to take advantage of this moment by launching a new product. Teams were tasked with developing and marketing the product with one catch: Only one concept will make the cut.

Each presentation included the product name, pricing, potential launch markets, design mock ups, and an explanation of how the product fits into Pepsi’s overall product mix. The winning team, Team 4 proposed Popstar, an exciting new take on a healthy energy drink.

Nonprofit Marketing Workshop w/ Kelly Callahan-Poe

At AMA’s nonprofit marketing workshop, we had the pleasure of hearing from Kelly Callahan-Poe, Vice President of Account Management at Yes& Agency, who brought over 30 years of industry experience to the conversation. She shared practical strategies for nonprofit marketing, emphasizing the power of storytelling, emotional connection, and actionable messaging, while leading an engaging activity that challenged us to market mattress recycling to UMD students. From incentive-based ideas to social media campaigns, our group explored creative solutions grounded in Kelly’s expert advice. She also inspired us with career insights, encouraging confidence, curiosity, and versatility as essential traits for young professionals.

Shaping Trends in Fashion

In collaboration with the Fashion Business Society (FBA), members learned more about fast fashion as an industry and explored sustainable ways to approach the problem at hand. During the event members gained insight into the environmental impacts of fast fashion, why it is so important to address them, and real-world examples of fast fashion brands, as well as sustainable alternatives. The workshop portion event prompted small groups to brainstorm and present their ideas on an ethically-made product or brand of choice. Members were able to learn more about fast fashion while also understanding the role that marketing plays in the industry, creating the perfect intersection for fashion lovers and marketing enthusiasts alike.

ICC 2025

In April, UMD AMA sent six of our executive board members to AMA's International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana for a weekend of learning, networking, and competition! Attendees attended workshops and competitions while connecting with other motivated AMA students and industry professionals.

A huge congratulations to UMD AMA's very own Mathew Calderon and Giana Colonna for winning first place in the Marketing Strategy Competition, and to our chapter for receiving national recognition for excellence in Professional Development, Community & Social Impact, and Membership!

UMC 2025: Retail Reimagined - Mastering Omnichannel

On April 11th, AMA hosted our annual Undergraduate Marketing Conference, bringing together students and industry professional for a day of insight, connection, and hands-on learning. Centered around the theme "Retail Reimagined - Mastering Omnichannel", the event featured keynote speakers from Flywheel Digital, a panel discussion with Compass Coffee, and a Q&A session with The Makeshift Project. Students gained valuable perspective on the ever-evolving marketing landscape. Following the speaker sessions, participants wrapped up the event with marketing competitions, bringing their ideas to life. Thank you to everyone who attended and made the event a success!

Strategic Content Creation Workshop

During this AMA workshop, we had the incredible opportunity to learn from Dyuti Basu, Strategic Design Fellow at the Smith School of Business, in an engaging session centered around social media strategy and campaign creation. Through a hands-on case study for the language-learning app Babbel, members collaborated on innovative campaign ideas, analyzed brand presence, and practiced creative thinking, gaining practical experience in content planning and digital storytelling. The workshop also offered a sneak peek into Dyuti’s upcoming Strategic Content course, launching in Fall 2025, making it a valuable and inspiring evening for anyone interested in media, marketing, or social media roles.

Not "Just a Trend" Workshop

AMA was thrilled to welcome Lola Koiki, Director of Product Management at Capital One and UMD alum, for this special event where AMA members participated in an interactive workshop exploring the importance of inclusivity in the product management and marketing space.

During the activity portion of the event, Lola facilitated a mind mapping exercise where members wrote down their activities from the moment they woke up until their first class, using sticky notes. These notes were then organized into a ‘mind map’ and used to navigate different marketing strategies and understand the importance of knowing your users and target market. Lola also touched on her personal journey in the product management field and how inclusion plays a key role in her part at Capital One.

Small Budget, Big Impact: Marketing for Indie Businesses

This AMA meeting highlighted how small businesses can make a big impact through creativity, community connection, and resourceful marketing strategies.

The workshop, based on the presentation from Angela Rakis of Favorite Daughter, LLC, encouraged members to develop their own low-budget marketing plans. From defining target audiences to crafting elevator pitches, students brainstormed original small business ideas like Brewtique, Tini Cafe, and Doggie Delights, each with a unique purpose and strategy. The event emphasized the power of storytelling, authenticity, and local engagement in helping small businesses thrive, reminding us that thoughtful, personal branding can outshine even the biggest competitors.

Sip & Paint and Senior Send-Off

We closed out our spring GBMs with a fun and relaxing Sip & Paint social event. AMA members enjoyed Chick-Fil-A, Poppi, and Pepsi products, while painting and connecting with one another! What a perfect way to celebrate the end of a great semester! Thank you to everyone who made this such a memorable event!

Also, a huge congrats to UMD AMA's graduating seniors! Your hard work and passion have truly made an impact on our chapter. Best of luck to your future endeavors!

RedBlack Showcase

This semester, RedBlack Consulting, UMD AMA's student-run marketing consulting group successfully wrapped up another semester of impactful client projects. Student teams partnered with The Laundry Basket, Focus First Academic Coaching, the Maryland State Police, and Reality-Based Training Group. From strengthening social media strategies to launching recruitment campaigns, each team delivered real-world solutions tailored to their clients’ needs. The semester concluded with a final showcase celebrating their innovative and strategic work.

Thank you for an AMAzing semester!

Spring 2025 was an incredible semester for UMD AMA. There were so many events and opportunities for our members to grow, professionally, educationally, and socially. A big thank you to all of our executive board members for their hard work in organizing our events and programs this semester!