Written By: Aiden Simpkiss

If you were to ask me why I joined AMA in the first place, I would have told you it was to earn some class credits and build my resume. However, if you ask me now why I’m staying in AMA, that reason is a lot different. It’s not because of the checkboxes or the words on my resume, but because of the community and family I’ve joined.

I learned a lot this year throughout this club, but there are three biggest takeaways from my first year in the American Marketing Association that I would like to share. The first of them is the sharpening of all skills. Don’t let the “marketing” in the name confuse you. I joined as a sales-focused management major, but through real-world client work, media production, mock interviews, and pitch workshops, I was able to add more than one skill to my skillset and learn the truth that the most successful people are the ones who can do it all. AMA is more than just a club for marketers, but a way to get ahead and get ready for whatever task a future job or internship throws at you.

Another major thing I learned from AMA is that the best way to succeed is to surround yourself with people who will help you succeed. As much as I gained from the physical opportunities present from the club, it’s the people that will have a lasting impact. From people who are expert photographers to people with internship experience who will help you get one. Or even the business professionals who are there to critique your pitch and set you up with hundreds of companies in the Seacoast area. The famous saying “it’s all in who you know” is famous for a reason, and that has only proven more true the more I get involved in this club. Being a part of AMA has helped me get so ahead and meet hundreds of amazing people who have been in my exact spot. The club is more than a club, but a cheat code to success.

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Lastly, one of the biggest takeaways I had from my first year in AMA is that it’s fun!!! That may sound dumb, but seriously, I joined this club for the credits and the resume builder, but left with some of my best friends and life experiences that can’t be made anywhere else. Through day trips and overnights to places like Chicago, I have created memories that will last a lifetime.

So if you are looking for your next club to join, take it from me that AMA checks all the boxes. Not only will you be able to boost your credentials, but you just might find your next job and gain a couple of best friends along the way.