Since arriving at the University of Illinois over three years ago, I have had the opportunity to be a part of many different clubs and organizations. None, however, have influenced me more than the University of Illinois National Agri-Marketing Association. U of I NAMA, for short, is both a club and a class for ACE majors that focuses on creating products that benefit the agriculture industry. Each year we create a product along with a business plan that coincides with a product pitch and compete in front of judges at a national competition. While prepping for competition, you get real world experience in researching, developing, and strategizing how products are created and marketed to potential consumers. The last few years I was fortunate enough to be one of the members of the speaking team who attempted to pitch our product to the judges. This gave me public speaking experience on a big stage in front of industry professionals and greatly contributed to my understanding of the agricultural industry. In addition to hosting the competition, the National Agri-Marketing Association serves as the nation’s largest association for professionals in agribusiness and members of college chapters can become members of after graduation. Becoming a member of the Illinois NAMA chapter is a great way for ACE students to network with industry professionals and get real world experiences outside of the classroom.