NDSU students participated in the first-ever Marvin Frozen Showdown, an innovative sales competition hosted at Marvin’s headquarters in Warroad, Minnesota.
This unique experience provided students with real-world sales training, valuable networking opportunities and a deep dive into the company’s operations, culture, products and community engagement.
Unlike traditional collegiate sales competitions, Marvin’s event offered an exclusive and immersive experience. Twenty-four students from NDSU and the University of Minnesota Duluth were flown to Warroad aboard a Marvin corporate jet, an unparalleled opportunity in the world of student sales contests.
Once on site, they participated in company tours, social events and competitive sales role-play scenarios designed to mimic real-world selling experiences.
“This event offered me the opportunity to not only gain more experience in sales, but it also helped me become more confident in myself,” said Trace Wagner, an NDSU senior majoring in business administration. “Real-world experiences like this force people outside their comfort zone. The experience helps us stand out in interviews and provides more value in our educational experience.”
The competition involved a multi-stage sales roleplay where students took on the role of Marvin sales representatives, tasked with convincing a home builder who had historically used vinyl windows to consider Marvin’s fiberglass products. The goal was to engage in a 12-minute conversation, ask discovery questions, present key selling points and secure a commitment for a trial order.
After the first round of competition, nine students advanced to the final stage, competing for top honors in both sales roleplay and an interview competition. Marvin executives served as judges, providing real-time feedback and evaluating students for potential job offers within the company.
The Marvin Sales Competition is the latest example of the strong industry-academic partnership between Marvin and NDSU. As a Platinum Sponsor of NDSU’s sales program, Marvin fully covered the costs of the event, including flights, lodging, and meals. This partnership has created a recruiting pipeline for Marvin while offering students a firsthand look at career opportunities in sales and manufacturing.
“We’re really trying to deliver world-class experiences to students,” said Eric Gjerdevig, NDSU lecturer of management and marketing. “Lectures are great, and we can do fun things on campus, but I want to put students in uncomfortable and intimidating situations and have them build rapport, ask questions and hold conversations.”
Beyond the competition, Marvin introduced students to Warroad’s unique culture, reinforcing the company’s deep ties to the community. Activities included a visit to a rare automobile and sports memorabilia collection and a networking dinner at a local brewery.
Students also had the chance to unwind by ice skating on the frozen Warroad River.
“Just as we anticipated, students from the NDSU College of Business came ready to compete last week at the Marvin Frozen Showdown,” said Marvin vice president of human resources Chris Stith. “I was really impressed by the preparation, unique approaches and professionalism the students brought to this inaugural event. We hope to see many of them back as candidates for sales roles at Marvin where they could quickly put their skills to use on the job.”
While this year’s competition served as a pilot, it could become an annual event, Gjerdevig said.
For students, the competition was more than a chance to win a cash prize or a trophy, it was chance to immerse themselves in the competition and in the town of Warroad.
It also was a chance to kickstart their career, as Marvin extended job offers to a few of the competitors.
“You would think larger schools would do things like this, but they can’t offer this type of experience,” said Lucy Paul, an NDSU sophomore business administration major. “Eric Gjerdevig offers one-on-one coaching and support that made me so confident and able to come here and do this. I don’t know if you get this type of support anywhere else.”
