The University Sales Education Foundation

Overview | News | Current Initiatives

Overview: The Business Challenge
and University Solutions

Chally strongly believes in the value and the necessity of professionalizing the sales industry. Today, more college graduates will become salespeople than all other careers combined. Yet only a few dozen of the more than four thousand colleges and universities in the United States have established a formal sales program. It will take an effort from our great colleges and universities to develop sufficient numbers of professionally trained salespeople to fill our present business needs.

To address this need, Chally is working with a variety of industry professionals and academic trailblazers to establish and support effective university sales programs.

Chally has established a nonprofit foundation and website, The University Sales Education Foundation at www.saleseducationfoundation.org, to manage funds raised for colleges and universities with verified sales education curriculums.

News About the Foundation

Howard Stevens Talks About Foundation in Daily Report Videos

Chally Chairman and CEO Howard Stevens is interviewed by Selling Power publisher Gerhard Gschwandtner in a series of three short (approx. 5 minutes) videos.

Top University Sales Programs 2008 Selling Power Supplement Announced

The second annual edition of Top University Sales Education Programs, a special supplement to Selling Power magazine, was published in April 2008. The supplement has been extremely well received, and planning for the 2009 edition is already underway.

The Foundation Holds Its First Meetings

The first meeting of the University Sales Education Foundation was held on October 16th, 2007, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. The group intends to support the professionalization of sales through academic scholarships, research funding and support, enhancing recognition of quality sales education programs, and providing connections between industry and academia.

Representatives from AT&T, CareerBuilder.com, DePaul University, The HR Chally Group, Northern Illinois University, Ohio University, and Selling Power magazine were among the attendees.

The second meeting took place at the corporate offices of CareerBuilder.com in Chicago on November 15th, 2007.

The third meeting was held on January 25, 2008, in Chicago.

Chally's University Assessment Program

To assist in the Foundation's effort to support university students and create connections with corporations, The HR Chally Group has made available the University Assessment Program. Students from qualified sales programs are invited to take the Chally assessment. Results provide the students with insight into positive matches for internships and permanent career positions.

Companies interested in obtaining access to students' information are invited to partner with a qualified university sales program to gain access. A dozen schools have signed up for the program to date.

To obtain additional information regarding the program, contact Jeanne Frawley, Chally's Director of University Programs at: jeannefrawley@chally.com

Sales Force Management Textbook

Chally's database has been highlighted worldwide in academic peer-reviewed publications, business journals, and magazines. Researchers appreciate the scientific nature of the information, and readers identify with the practical application made possible by the reports.

For the first time, sales and sales management students will have one place to find this information. In August of 2008, McGraw-Hill will publish the ninth edition of Mark Johnston and Greg Marshall's Sales Force Management textbook. Each chapter will open with Chally information that supports the chapter's information. Upon its release, Chally will provide a resource page for students and faculty regarding the information in the text.

Student Sales Resources

Beyond the Chally Assessment Program, the University Sales Education Foundation has partnered with several industry leaders to provide student access to sales tools. The programs include Ron Hubsher's Negotiation Training (Sales Optimization Group), Selling Power magazine subscriptions, business acumen research guides, and much more. Interested schools should contact Jeanne Frawley for details.

Current Foundation Initiatives

University Sales Center Alliance - Chally supports the USCA's efforts to create sales instruction standards for the nation's universities and colleges

The Top University Sales Education Programs - This annual supplement to Selling Power magazine highlights university efforts to professionalize sales

Selling Power Subscriptions - Thanks to the generosity of Gerhard Gschwandtner and the Selling Power magazine staff, Chally provides free subscriptions to over 10,000 university sales program faculty, staff, and students.

Sales Leadership Conferences - Chally CEO Howard Stevens emcees a featured spot in Selling Power's 2007 Sales Leadership Conferences, with panels of college sales program directors

American Business Awards - Chally presented the University Sales Center Alliance with a Stevie Award for "Excellence in University Based Professional Sales Education" at the 2006 Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards ceremony in Las Vegas

Listing of Verified Sales Programs - Chally created and maintains a comprehensive listing of verified university sales programs, found as the centerpiece to the Selling Power magazine supplement

University Sales Assessment Program - Students in verified sales programs can take the Chally assessment free of charge and receive career development analysis on how naturally they fit into six standard sales roles. (more information is available here)

Foundation Fundraising - "Become a Sales Hero" advertising campaign to raise money for The Sales Education Foundation, as the back cover of The Top University Sales Education Programs supplement to Selling Power magazine