Austin Peay students compete in inaugural Oracle sales competition

by Elaina Russell

Clarksville, TN (03/10/2025) — Five marketing students from Austin Peay State University recently showcased their sales acumen at Oracle's inaugural two-day sales competition in Nashville. Team members demonstrated exceptional performance and potential in sales development roles as they navigated a series of challenges.

Oracle designed the competition to bridge the gap between business and technology. The event drew peer institutions from across Tennessee, providing students with a real-world setting to showcase and strengthen their sales skills.

The event started with a tour of the Oracle Nashville hub, where students met with sales development representatives and participated in a networking session.

The second day featured the main competition including four events: a personal pitch, mock call, sales circuit and a team case competition. These events tested the students' abilities in cold calling, applying sales skills, and tackling real-world business challenges.

APSU marketing students who participated in the 2025 Oracle Sales Competition:

Citlali Dominguez
Trinity Collins
Zachary Harrison
Jaycie Luster
Leah Williams

College of Business faculty member Dr. Terry Damron, associate professor of marketing, worked in partnership with longtime sales professional Brandon Tubbs, who is currently a senior digital marketing strategist for Dealer eProcess. The duo meticulously worked to prepare the student team for weeks leading up to the competition.

"I am so proud of their enthusiasm for tackling new, challenging experiences," Damron said.

For many students, it was their first time participating in a competition at the college level, sharpening their skills developed through their coursework.

"Competing in this competition was completely out of my comfort zone," said senior marketing major Trinity Collins. "Overall, it was an incredible experience, encouraging me to embrace new challenges and opportunities."

Collins credits networking and skills development opportunities for boosting her overall confidence. She and a few classmates are now planning to pursue employment opportunities at Oracle upon graduation.

Junior marketing major Jaycie Luster shared a similar experience, affirming her decision to follow a career path in sales.

"It helped me determine if this career path was truly right for my future," she said. "I discovered that I genuinely enjoyed competing and interacting within the sales environment, even with a company I had not previously considered working with."

The competition aligns with Oracle's ongoing efforts to identify and nurture talented individuals for potential careers in technology sales. Sales competition chaperone Dr. Shiyun Chen, an assistant professor of marketing at Austin Peay, emphasized how this opportunity supports the College of Business's mission to provide students with real-world exposure in their areas of interest.

"It helps students develop crucial skills like communication, problem-solving, and adaptability - exactly what companies like Oracle look for in potential hires," Chen said. "We want to give them every chance to be successful in their chosen fields. Experiential learning opportunities help us increase those odds."