International students have a lot to do during their freshman year of college besides study: move into a dorm room, learn how to get around a new campus, and stay on track with visa paperwork. For Yehor, a freshman international student from Ukraine, there was another challenge — the Darla Moore School of Business Annual Sales Competition at the University of South Carolina.
The competition is a chance for undergraduate students in the on-campus Carolina Sales Club to showcase their ability to sell, negotiate, and stay calm in stressful situations. Joining the club helped Yehor see how he could make a career out of sales.
He recalls, “When I was young, my mom always told me that my talent is speaking and good listening, but I never had [any] idea what I could do with that. After coming to UofSC and joining Carolina Sales Club, I realized that my skills and talents fit well with the sales role.”
As a freshman member of the club, Yehor competed against juniors and seniors. Despite being new to UofSC and the club, Yehor won the competition — the first-ever international student and freshman to win!
As the winner, Yehor had the opportunity to represent UofSC and compete at the Great Northwood Sales Warm-Up, a national collegiate sales competition in Wisconsin. He traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where students from more than 20 universities also came to compete and network. Companies from all over the US sponsored the competition, so Yehor had the opportunity to network with Fortune 500 companies. He then went on to win at the Selling with the Bulls competition at the University of South Florida in Tampa, too.
These competitions are just the beginning. Yehor will continue competing against different universities, each time making new connections with students and companies. Yehor’s hard work is already paying off. As a freshman and international student, he has traveled across the country and made professional contacts with major employers nationwide.
As he continues his studies at UofSC, Yehor holds leadership positions in the Carolina Sales Club. He is currently the Treasurer, and previously served as the Executive Vice President of Operations.
Yehor is now confident that he can build a career and a future in the field of sales. To Yehor, sales “is a way for me to realize my potential and [my] ambitions in a practical field: connecting with people, building [a] nationwide reputation, and constantly improving myself.”
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