Goizueta Business School’s case competition team is still in its infancy. Yet, with less than three years to its name, the club has already secured international recognition.
This year’s team included Saanvi Sood 25BBA; Catherine Ly 26BBA, chair of competitions; Sean Walsh 26BBA; and Yashonandan Kakrania 26BBA 26MAcc, team captain. They recently traveled to New Zealand to compete in the Champions Trophy Case Competition at the University of Auckland—and they won third place.
“In the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) curriculum, our undergraduate students gather and analyze data, model outcomes, deconstruct multi-layered problems, think creatively and strategically, and make actionable recommendations. They also present with confident professionalism,” says Andrea Hershatter, senior associate dean of undergraduate education and associate professor in the practice of organization and management.
“I saw all of those capacities in action with the team, along with their resilience, drive towards continuous improvement, and superior sportsmanship. I could not have been prouder of the outcomes they achieved and, especially, the way they competed.”
The Story Starts in California
In the spring of 2024, a group of Goizueta undergraduate students traveled to the University of Southern California for the Marshall Case Competition: Jonathan Ross 24BBA, Harrison Coorey 24BBA, Michelle Li 24BBA, and Sood.
Unbeknownst to the team at the time, this event was a qualifier for the international event in New Zealand. In fact, it was one of only two qualifying events that exist in the United States.
The team flew to Los Angeles with the intention of having fun and doing their best—and they won first place.
“It was an incredible honor and such a privilege to win first place and represent Goizueta, especially as a newly established team,” says Sood.
Some teams prepare for months on end, often with professional coaches, but the Goizueta students had an advantage: The undergraduate business curriculum includes cases and presentations in class.
“Our success was a big testament to our Goizueta education because it’s so practical and hands-on,” says Sood, who used a skill she learned in a data analytics course to help the team win the Marshall Case Competition.
A Trip to New Zealand
As a result of the first place honor in California, Goizueta secured a spot in the Champions Trophy Case Competition in New Zealand. Since most of the team graduated in 2024, Sood was tasked with recruiting new members.
Associate Professor Jeffrey Rosensweig
Her selling points were the opportunity to connect more deeply with Goizueta peers and meet students from programs around the world. Sood shared how valuable the experience is in putting the skills learned in class or through internships to the test in high-pressure, real-world scenarios that require collaboration. For younger classmates, case competitions are great talking points for job interviews.
The team also secured funding to fully cover the trip and all expenses through the Robson Program for Business, Public Policy, and Government and the support of Jeffrey Rosensweig, director of the Robson Program and associate professor of finance.
“The funding was a testament to Goizueta believing in our ability to do well, but also wanting us to have meaningful experiences, regardless of what the outcome is,” says Sood. “A lot of people in the Goizueta community came together to make this happen, and it’s something that I will be truly appreciative of when I look back at my time at Emory.”
The International Competition
The Goizueta team arrived at the Champions Trophy Case Competition surrounded by teams who regularly compete at the international level. What made the competition even more unique—in addition to the location and prestige—was that teams were not allowed to use the internet…for anything. Participants were forced to use the skill sets of their teams and even create paper slide decks for their presentations.
“I actually liked the fact that there was no internet allowed,” says Ly. “It made us really test our critical thinking in a straightforward manner, rather than worrying about how slides looked.”
Because of this added challenge, Ly says the key was a deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each teammate so that, together, they created a “strong dynamic.”
“No team is perfect, and no one is ever ‘fully ready,’ but as long as you’re willing to give your 110%, adapt, and be open to feedback, that’s all that matters,” says Ly.
For Kakrania, one of the exciting aspects of a case competition is problem-solving a real world business issue. An additional challenge the Goizueta team faced was thinking about New Zealand culture and companies for the cases, rather than approaching the competition from the U.S. perspective.
“It’s been incredible to witness the team’s rapid growth,” says Kakrania. “The chance to represent Goizueta at one of the biggest case competitions in the world filled me with immense pride. I wanted to not only compete at the highest level, but also showcase what makes Goizueta stand out as a top business school on the global stage.”
The team achieved that goal: They have since received numerous invitations to participate in case competitions at other universities in Europe, Asia, and Canada.
“Case competitions are one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you can have as an undergraduate,” says Kakrania. “I’ve learned how to work effectively in teams, leveraging diverse backgrounds and skill sets while refining ideas through collaboration.”
The Future of Goizueta’s Case Competition Team
Kakrania says the team plans to start incorporating more outside-of-class practice to help prepare members for a wide range of business challenges.
“The case competition team welcomes all interested undergraduate BBA students,” says Hershatter. “Case competitions are a phenomenal learning experience and can provide truly transformational opportunities.”
Interested students can start in small, internal events before participating in intercollegiate and international events. Email Paula Zwillich to find out how you can join.
Ready to take on your own real-world business challenges? Learn more about Goizueta’s hands-on undergraduate business degree.
