Outstanding Community Service: Craig Kelley

Craig Kelley

Craig Kelley’s 2005 award for Outstanding Community Service from the College of Business Administration may seem insignificant hanging on the wall in his Tahoe Hall office. But only because it’s lost in a sea of plaques and accolades which surround it.

“It was a big surprise to me. A lot of people do a lot of different kinds of community service within my department, so it’s definitely an honor to be recognized among them,” Kelley says. The marketing professor is constantly trying to develop new and innovative ways to inspire and encourage students to get involved with the field they’re in.

“I’m always trying to get students to realize that learning is about more than going to a class. It’s about development, participation and most importantly, motivation,” he says. The Sacramento State alumnus has used a variety of methods and techniques in his 20-year tenure to engage students in standard business practices and situations.

From golfing with associates to sitting down for a business lunch, Kelley aims to coach all potential aspects of a business transaction to his students. “When you’re having lunch with a business prospect or client, the restaurant you choose is very important. Chili’s probably wouldn’t be the best place, however Scott’s Seafood is a more appropriate location,” Kelley suggests. “And when ordering, don’t go for anything that’s ‘sauce-y’ and don’t order the cheapest or the most expensive item on the menu.”

Kelley frequently calls on local companies to provide practice and real world experience to young business students. He says that the development that comes from students interacting with actual business and marketing associates is tremendous in becoming confident and successful in business.

Kelley also pulls in nationwide companies to recruit Sacramento State business students. As the head of the Master Selling Network, Kelley organizes a career fair in the University Union focused on professional selling every semester. Local branches of businesses such as Wells Fargo Financial, Del Webb and Walgreen’s were present at last year’s event. Supplemental workshops are also offered at the fair, designed to assist aspiring businessmen and women in every aspect from how to write an effective resume to the keys to a successful interview.

But Kelley’s commitment to his students and their success doesn’t stop with this year’s award. To him, community service is a year-round job as he is persistently trying to design and plan new programs to get students involved. Currently, Kelley is working on an interactive website that current and former students can use to find job listings in the field they’re studying. Users can also apply for employment and post their résumés for companies to access.

Kelley also served as a coach for Sacramento State in the first annual California College Sales Competition. The competition featured several other CSUs including Chico, Bakersfield, Fresno, San Luis Obispo and Northridge. The competition allowed students to test and show off their knowledge and abilities among other business students and the business community.