AMA International Collegiate Conference 2026 Recap
ICC 2026 Recap: Leveled Up in Chicago
Washington College's AMA is thrilled to share a recap of our experience at the 2026 International Collegiate Conference, held March 12–14 in Chicago, Illinois. This year, we took the ICC theme of Level Up to heart, flying out to the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk for three days packed with competitions, connection, and celebration.
Our members showed up and showed out across nine competitions: sales, perfect pitch, digital marketing, marketing strategy, design lab, t-shirt, marketplace simulations, photography, and Instagram reel. This doesn’t include all of our competitions before the conference: case competition, marketing week, chapter plan, recruitment video, and social impact video. Each competitor brought their best, representing Washington College on an international stage alongside some of the most talented marketing students in the country.
Beyond the competition floor, President Kendal and Vice President Emily delivered a talk on how to be an international top small chapter after last year’s win. It was a proud moment to share our story with chapters from across the country.
The conference offered something for everyone. Members attended speaker sessions, skill-up stations, networking events, and career fairs, walking away with new connections and tangible tools for their marketing careers. We also had the privilege of hearing from two outstanding keynote speakers: Jade Walters, founder of The Ninth Semester and a powerhouse voice on early career development, and Sean Greenwood, the Grand Poobah of PR at Ben & Jerry's, whose decades of values-driven storytelling left the room buzzing.
Between sessions and competitions, members soaked up St. Patrick's Day weekend in one of the world’s best cities to celebrate it. Chicago, and its beautiful green river, was full of good food, great vibes, beautiful architecture, and the best company.
To end the conference, we celebrated winning Top 5 Small Chapter for the fourth consecutive year, the longest streak in our chapter’s history. Thank you to every member who competed, attended, networked, and cheered each other on. We're already looking ahead to 2027 in New Orleans!
