Bring it on! This is how Adela Mou and her teammates approached the American Marketing Association’s (AMA) annual undergrad case competition in New Orleans. Part of the Marketing Undergraduate Students Establishment (MUSE), Mou’s team knew the competition would be intense, but they set their sights high on first place.
“Penn’s MUSE team has never lost, so every year the competition gets ramped up. We needed to bring it to the next level,” she says. That strategy worked and they recently continued Penn’s four-year winning streak, placing first at the competition for their presentation of a marketing plan for Kodak’s next generation photo sharing site.
Mou, who was a co-captain of the case competition team and served on the MUSE board for three years, says that her involvement with the group has been an important part of her Wharton experience. “In the beginning of your time at Wharton, it’s about learning the basics and getting your feet wet in all areas of business. After that, it’s about finding what you like to do and then finding ways to improve yourself in that field. MUSE has helped me do that tremendously,” she says.
MUSE even helped develop her leadership skills. As a MUSE vice president, Mou was in charge of organizing a conference for students from all over the country interested in marketing. The event featured speakers, mini case competitions, and sessions on practical topics like interview skills.
Mou adds that in addition to conferences and case competitions, MUSE also offers hands-on opportunities like job shadowing and consulting projects. On the social side, the group organizes events like paintball, rock climbing, and -- for those brave enough -- a sky diving trip.
“I absolutely recommend this group. If you are interested in marketing, you should check out MUSE,” says Mou.
Read more on MUSE and the 2009 AMA Case Competition.
Read more on Undergraduate Student Clubs and Activities.
