Ellen Daniels

Professor Daniels received her Bachelor of Music degree from Baldwin-Wallace University and her Master of Business Administration from Kent State University.  She spent most of her career in the fields of communications and sales, working at companies including J. Walter Thompson Advertising, Ernst and Young, and Harshaw Chemical, where she held management positions in sales and marketing.  She was hired by Kent State University as an adjunct professor for many years until she was invited to launch the sales program.

Her teaching career spanned nearly four decades and included teaching a variety of marketing courses, including: Professional Selling, Sales and Sales Management, Competitive Sales Skills Development, Advanced Selling, Sales in the Entrepreneurial Venture, Logistics, Retail Management, Consumer Behavior, Principles of Marketing, Marketing Research, Advertising and Promotion Management, International Marketing, and Marketing for Non-Profits.  She also developed a faculty-led study abroad course entitled: Exploring Sustainability from a Marketing and Sales Perspective in Greece, which she led for four summers.  She developed the sales program which awards the Professional Sales Certificate and Sales Concentration, and formed and coached the Kent State Sales Team, which competes regionally, nationally and internationally.  She also spearheaded the initiation of Pi Sigma Epsilon student professional sales and marketing fraternity on campus in 2009, with membership averaging 80 students.  As part of developing the sales program, Professor Daniels organized the Sales Advisory Board, which supports the top-ranked sales program with funding and real-world insights.

Among her teaching honors, she received the prestigious Kent State Outstanding Teaching Award, the Pi Sigma Epsilon Top Faculty Advisor Award, KSU College of Business Teaching Service Award, and was named Most Valuable Professor by the Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Baseball and Men’s Basketball teams.

Professor Daniels retired in 2025.