McCoy College's Center for Professional Sales awarded Best Sales Program by USCA

The Center for Professional Sales at Texas State University's McCoy College of Business was awarded Best Sales Program by its accrediting agency, the University Sales Center Alliance (USCA).

The Center for Professional Sales at TXST is the first program in the world to receive the award.

The USCA comprises more than 85 sales centers throughout the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Selection of the Best Sales Program award was made by the USCA Executive Committee, based on the following criteria:

• How the program exposes industry and other universities to the USCA and to sales education
• Innovative programming offered by the program
• Experiential learning opportunities for students
• How the program ensures students meet requirements for the USCA Certified Sales Student Program
• How the program is promoting and furthering the mission and values of the USCA
• Level of involvement in the USCA

“The reason we have succeeded is because of our ‘Best of Breed’ partners, our outstanding sales faculty who personify the team approach and, most importantly, the strong work ethic of our students,” said Vicki West, founding director of the Center for Professional Sales at McCoy College. “The students are so proud to represent the sales center and pride in their work shines through when they begin their careers with our corporate partners.”

The Center for Professional Sales at McCoy College became a fully accredited program in 2012, after being in development for many years. The center was reaccredited in 2020 and continues to develop new initiatives such as global sales internships with United Parcel Service (UPS) in Barcelona, Spain; North American Plastics in Toronto, Canada; and Caterpillar in London, England. Especially popular are the site visits to the center’s corporate partners and the semi-annual Interview Express event where hundreds of sales students seek internships and full-time employment. Additionally, the center is prioritizing increasing relevant academic research in collaboration with its partners.

“We are truly honored and humbled with the Best Sales Program award,” said Elizabeth Terrell, chair of the Center for Professional Sales Advisory Board and vice president of Sales and Solutions-Americas at UPS. “I am extremely proud of this program and the top students that UPS and others have hired for decades. This program is vital for students as they learn the practice of sales management, negotiation skills, global sales internships and best-in-class professors/faculty. All students come well prepared to deliver results for any company that hires from Texas State.”

West and other sales faculty members teach in the Department of Marketing at McCoy College, including Wayne Noll, assistant director of the Center for Professional Sales, Vishag Badrinarayanan, Ph.D., Linda Alkire, Ph.D., Aditya Gupta, Ph.D., and Derrek Schartz.

Sanjay Ramchander, D.B.A., dean of the McCoy College of Business, said that the Center for Professional Sales sets the bar in sales education and research.

“This award is the culmination of many years of hard work by our faculty and staff, and the investment by the college, to build a sales program that is truly world-class,” Ramchander said. “I want to acknowledge Ms. Vicki West and Mr. Wayne Noll — director and assistant director of the Center for Professional Sales, respectively — for their leadership and tenacity in elevating the program’s impact. With the support of our industry partners, McCoy College and the Center for Professional Sales are empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators in the sales profession.”

For more information about the Center for Professional Sales, please email Vicki West.

About the USCA

The University Sales Center Alliance (USCA) was founded in 2002 with the overarching goal to improve the sales profession through education, research, and service. The USCA's mission is to advance the selling profession by setting and monitoring sales program standards, sharing best practices, enhancing sales curricula, and preparing students for successful careers in sales. By collaborating with our member institutions and industry partners, the USCA strives to raise the bar for sales education and establish a benchmark for excellence.