Image by Ed Brennen Junior business major Cole Stepanik listens to a "buyer" while role-playing a sales scenario at the recent Competitive Sales Challenge hosted by the Manning School of Business. Stepanik won the three-round case competition.
The Manning School of Business recently welcomed 44 students from six universities to campus for its Competitive Sales Challenge — and the River Hawks didn’t waste their home-field advantage.
In the three-round case competition, where students role-play a sales scenario with an industry professional acting as a buyer, junior business major Cole Stepanik took first place, and MBA student Stephanie Carpenito ’25 finished second.
In the 60-second “Speed Sell” competition, where students deliver an elevator pitch about themselves, first-year biomedical engineering major Nathan Kirokwa earned first place, while Stepanik added a second-place finish.
“It’s exciting to compete with other schools that are at the top of their game,” said Stepanik, a member of the UML Sales Team, a student organization that competes in intercollegiate sales events across the country.
Image by Ed Brennen Junior business major Sanjedah Haque, right, shakes hands with a "buyer" during the Competitive Sales Challenge case competition at the Pulichino Tong Business Center.
Corporate partners ALKU, Medicus, Northwestern Mutual, LoginVSI and Fastenal provided case materials, buyers and judges.
The event is part of the Manning Sales Initiative, which helps students develop practical career skills through sales challenges.
“Sales is not just persuasion; it’s about problem-solving, understanding people and communicating under pressure,” said Rist Family Endowed Dean of Business Bertie Greer. “This is an opportunity for students to really gauge their skill level.”
Kirokwa gasped when he was announced as the winner of the Speed Sell competition, which came with a $500 prize.
Image by Ed Brennen First-year biomedical engineering major Nathan Kirokwa reacts after winning the 60-second "Speed Sell" competition.
After that setback, Kirokwa joined the UML Sales Team, where he began practicing regularly and refining his approach.
“As an engineering student, I’m not used to this, but they were very welcoming and taught me a lot,” the Woburn native said. “I wanted it to feel more like a conversation this time — not just listing facts.”
For alumni judges now working in sales, that kind of experience is the whole point of the competition.
“Getting that experience while you’re still in school versus your first year in the real world — you can’t get that anywhere else,” said business alum James Flaherty ’21, a team lead at Medicus, a health care staffing company based in Windham, New Hampshire.
Fellow business alum Nick Glasser ’20, ’21, a provider consultant at Medicus, said the event closely mirrors what students will encounter in their careers.
Image by Ed Brennen Manning School of Business alumni James Flaherty '21, left, and Nick Glasser '20, '21 represented their health care staffing company Medicus at the recent Competitive Sales Challenge.
Carpenito, who won $350 for her second-place finish, said preparation was key to the UML Sales Team’s strong performance.
“We meet every week, practicing role-plays and really getting to know the product and the customer,” the North Andover native said. “We’re ready to handle any objection that’s thrown at us.”
Stepanik, who won $750 for his first-place finish, will serve as co-captain of the Sales Team next year along with business major Tony Ferriero.
“I couldn't be more thankful for my team. They've definitely helped me push past a lot of sticking points within my own pitch,” Stepanik said. “We have a really strong team at this point, and hopefully we’ll have an even stronger showing next year.”
Image by Ed Brennen UML Sales Team members, from left, Stephanie Carpenito '25, Cole Stepanik and Nathan Kirokwa took home impressive checks from the Competitive Sales Challenge.