A team of five business students represented the University of Southern Indiana Romain College of Business at the AMA IU Regional Conference Case Competition, hosted by the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Bloomington, Indiana. The USI team included Tyler Gater (presenter), marketing; Tomas Gonzalez (presenter), marketing; Matt McCormick (presenter), marketing; Alex Perry, accounting and finance; and Jacob Pugh, business administration.
Six universities with AMA student chapters participated in the live case competition, which centered on a marketing question: How can Alliant Credit Union—this year’s event sponsor—attract Gen Z and Millennial consumers to its online-only banking platform? Students were tasked with developing and presenting strategic, research-driven solutions. “Having the opportunity to partake in the case competition at Indiana University was a very eye-opening and exciting experience,” said Tyler. “Presenting in front of a panel of real business and marketing professionals helped me realize what it is actually like outside of the classroom and where I myself can improve.”
Throughout the day-long conference, attendees also heard from keynote speakers and panelists on the evolving role of artificial intelligence, including how AI is transforming marketing practices and reshaping human creativity. “I heard many great speakers discuss riveting topics such as the emergence of AI in the marketing field,” said Matt. “From start to finish the day was filled with great experiences and perspectives from experts in marketing.”
The conference concluded with a reception and networking event, giving students the chance to connect with peers and professionals from across the region. “It was such a great experience for our group,” said Tomas. “We presented a case in front of a panel of judges who worked for Alliant. Not only that, but we also got to connect with people from IU and other schools who were competing.”
The USI AMA team members agreed that the experience was invaluable—from applying classroom knowledge to solve a real-world organizational challenge, to expanding their professional networks and collaborating with like-minded business students.
“The AMA case study competition was an enriching experience, allowing me to bring my marketing knowledge to a real-world application,” Jacob noted. “It allowed me the opportunity to learn more about marketing KPIs, practical budgeting, marketing segmentation, analytical data, and more. I cannot recommend this opportunity enough for marketing majors or any business student at USI!”
Tyler found that being a member of USI’s AMA Marketing Club helps students extend their reach beyond the university community. “Getting to connect with representatives of strong companies and marketing firms, and other knowledgeable individuals of the industry is an under looked but very helpful aspect of AMA,” he said.
Aleisha Jones, Instructor in Marketing, attended as faculty advisor to the team. “This experience proved invaluable for our students by combining competition, networking, and hands-on workshops,” she said. “Ultimately, these opportunities strengthen their skills as future marketers and will prepare them for their upcoming participation in the 2026 AMA International Collegiate Conference, which will be held in Chicago in March.”
“Attending the American Marketing Association Conference that the Indiana University chapter hosted was a great experience,” stated Alex. “Throughout the day, we had the opportunity to learn about the impact of AI on marketing and could ask questions about the profession to a number of experienced panelists. Additionally, we had the chance to network with students from other universities and made some valuable connections that may help in the future. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to travel with such a great group and to be supported by the Romain College of Business.”
“This was an event I would definitely urge all AMA members to attend," said Matt.
L to R: Alex, Tyler, Tomas, Jacob and Matt
Published December 1, 2025