Georgia Southern Sails into The Ocean State Ready to Compete in the Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition
The challenge has been accepted by four competitive sales students from the Parker College of Business at Bryant University’s annual sales competition.
STATESBORO, GA (Dec. 8, 2025) – The 14th annual Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC) hosted nearly 350 sales students representing 43 U.S. and Canadian universities. Themed in 2025 as “Challenge Accepted,” NISC provided the student competitors with the keys to their future success in an action-packed two-day event that included challenges, skill development sessions, and networking opportunities.
Held in-person at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, NISC’s programming included a role-play competition, in which students go through the stages of a 10-minute sales meeting with a fictional company, and a speed-selling competition, in which they pitch themselves to a company representative and explain why the representative should hire them. The fast-paced rounds help competitors develop and hone their rapport-building, needs identification, presentation, communication, and closing skills, among others.
NISC also allows the student competitors to benchmark their abilities and determine where they need to improve. The competition’s judges — representatives from partnering corporate organizations — not only score the students’ performances but also offer individualized feedback and coaching.
Members of the Parker College of Business competitive sales team from Georgia Southern’s Center for Sales Excellence, included:
“We always enjoy our travels to the beautiful state of Rhode Island and thrive on the opportunity to compete at Bryant University’s Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition,” notes Mr. Travis Brickey, senior marketing lecturer and executive director of the Center for Sales Excellence at Georgia Southern University. “I’m so proud that everyone on the team advanced to the next round, with Lucas, Eddie, and Joseph moving on to the quarter finals of the Role-Play Competition and Tyler moving on to the finals of the Speed Sell Competition. Our team’s drive and competitive nature have well positioned Georgia Southern as a viable contender in each sales competition that we train for and travel to!”
Georgia Southern University went head-to-head against some of North America’s most prestigious sales programs at institutions such as Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Georgia, University of Central Florida, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, University of Tampa, and Penn State University. Mr. Eddie Easton, Mr. Lucas Schultz, and Mr. Joseph Tarwater each advanced to the quarterfinals of the Role-Play Competition. Mr. Tyler Goddard advanced to the finals of the Speed Sell Competition.
“NISC will forever be one of those college experiences that I’ll look back on with a smile. Compared to my first opportunity to travel almost a year ago, this trip to Rhode Island, I could genuinely see how much I’ve improved in my confidence, preparedness, and motivation!” exclaims Mr. Joseph Tarwater, a senior marketing major with an emphasis in sales & sales management. “Being surrounded by a team that thinks like me and who are hungry to succeed in sales has pushed me to grow. For any student looking to level up their sales skills and stand out from other peers, this experience is truly unmatched!”
Starting from humble beginnings 14 years ago, the Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition offers its student competitors a unique opportunity to connect with employers from some of the best sales organizations in the nation. NISC offers employers and students multiple opportunities to engage through networking, a tournament-style sales competition, individualized feedback and coaching, skill and leadership building sessions, social media, and more.
NISC is different from other competitions because it emphasizes students’ and sponsoring firms’ continual pursuit of learning and development. Through skill-building sessions, students, coaches and sponsors will gain valuable knowledge and abilities while building networks that can last a lifetime. The goal of NISC is to provide the foundation for companies and students to meet, learn from each other, and launch successful careers.
“My time in Rhode Island at NISC is a college experience I will forever remember! I was able to connect and network with high-achieving students from other universities, coaches, and sponsors from across North America. I had the privilege of competing alongside a team that is surely destined for greatness,” explains Mr. Tyler Goddard, a senior marketing major with an emphasis in sales & sales management. “Each member of our team was able to advance in either the Sales Role-Play Competition or the Speed Sell Competition. I happened to advance in the Speed Sell Competition, and this competition dramatically enhanced my public speaking skills. NISC, I will be forever grateful for how I was able to grow as a professional and sharpen my selling skills!”
About the Center for Sales Excellence, Georgia Southern University
Located within Georgia Southern University’s Parker College of Business, the Center for Sales Excellence is recognized by the University Sales Alliance as one of the nation’s top sales programs. Established in 2007, the Center’s mission is to positively impact the sales profession through education, research, and service. The Marketing BBA program offers the students of Georgia Southern University an emphasis in Sales and Sales Management.
Through the Center, students gain experience with sales role-play in our dedicated labs, with many going on to compete in some of the nation’s most prestigious sales competitions. The Center also works to bring students together with companies in the industry looking to hire the best and brightest minds. It is the goal of the Center to be the preeminent sales program in the nation.
About Bryant University
For more than 160 years, Bryant University has been at the forefront of delivering a transformational education that anticipates the future and delivers top outcomes that result in passionate, purpose-driven leaders. The university delivers a uniquely integrated academic and student life experience with nationally recognized academic programs at the intersection of business, liberal arts, and health and behavioral sciences.
Located on a 465-acre contemporary campus in Smithfield, R.I., Bryant enrolls approximately 3,800 undergraduate and graduate students from 38 states and 50 countries. Bryant is recognized as a top 1% national leader in student education outcomes and regularly receives high rankings from U.S. News & World Report, Money, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Wall Street Journal, College Factual, and Barron’s.
Posted in News