In the following article, John Kim 05MBA, associate professor in the practice of organization and management, highlights the numerous achievements of undergraduate BBA case competition teams over the past year. These student teams have received high marks in various prestigious case competitions around the country. These competitions provide participating students with invaluable experiential learning opportunities that will ultimately equip them for their future careers. These victories are a testament not only to the students’ strategic and analytical prowess, but also reflect the robust educational foundation Goizueta instills through its undergraduate BBA program.
At Goizueta Business School, we always encourage students to “do the work” and “be so good they can’t ignore you.” That’s exactly what Goizueta’s undergraduate case competition teams have done.
They have been winning—winning a lot.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, our undergraduate teams have placed first or second in five different national competitions against other top schools. Count them: three first place finishes and two second place finishes. This student-led, voluntary activity is not easy. After all the classes, exams, assignments, recruiting, and life, these student teams are putting themselves through the equivalent of a mental marathon to compete for the school. It’s a unique opportunity to bring together all their academic learning, consulting skills, and teamwork to prove themselves against the best business students globally. Teams from Europe and Asia regularly compete too.
What is a case competition?
While the specific format may vary, teams of students typically tackle an ambiguous—and sometimes complicated—business case. The mandate is to provide thoughtful, practical, and innovative recommendations to the target company. So far, this sounds like school, right? Well, imagine if you only have 48 hours. That sounds intense and rigorous, doesn’t it? It usually involves a lot of Excel, PowerPoint, caffeinated beverages, teamwork, and practice. Now, let’s assume that you are formally presenting those recommendations to a panel of judges from the company mentioned in that business. Sound intimidating? Let’s turn up the fun and have you compete in multiple rounds of elimination against students representing other top business schools. It’s a bit like the Olympics, except the sport is business consulting.
What did we win?
This isn’t the first time students from Goizueta’s undergraduate BBA program have placed highly in such competitions. We are used to winning, but this year has brought a bumper crop of competition victories:
- 2023 Georgetown McDonough Business Strategy Challenge – 1st Place
- 2024 USC Marshall International Case Competition – 1st Place
- 2024 Carolina Case Challenge – 1st Place
- 2024 WashU Olin Values and Data Case Competition – 2nd Place
- 2024 UT-Austin National Women’s Case Competition – 2nd Place
Case Competitions Are a “Win-Win-Win”
As Andrea Hershatter, senior associate dean of the BBA program said, “Among the many ways in which the Goizueta case competition team adds value to the school and the BBA student experience, three attributes in particular stand out for me. First, the team itself functions as a source of not only community pride but also peer-to-peer learning whereby more experienced students share their expertise with those who are newer in order to help Goizueta bring home the gold! Second, the case challenges are fabulous learning opportunities that enhance students’ capacity to put knowledge into practice in the service of an organizational or societal issue. Finally, and somewhat selfishly, I love that our brilliant competitors showcase their talents and intellect as representatives of our BBA Program, thus building our reputation amongst external constituencies.”
What’s it like to compete and win?
Kara Swain 24BBA is graduating senior and Goizueta Case Competition Team captain. She shares, “Case competitions usually have a qualifying, semifinals, and final round. Each time I’ve competed, I remember grabbing my teammates’ hands as the results are being announced. I squeezed—hard—for good luck! There’s nothing like the feeling of breaking into the next round. It’s the culmination of your team’s hard work and sleepless nights finally paying off.
Since my freshman year, I’ve participated in case competitions. Some have spanned as long as three months or as short as 24 hours. Each competition is a celebration of the spirit of friendly competition and the work ethic of the students that spend hours, days, or months of their lives becoming experts on their given case topic. Being a finalist is great. However, it’s the hands-on learning, team camaraderie, and the fellowship of new connections that make case competitions such a rewarding experience.”
What’s our strategy?
Goizueta Business School has a robust history of participation in case competitions. Just pay a visit to Jenkins Commons. There, you’ll see a trophy case of awards spanning the last 20+ years. Students from all of the school’s MBA and the undergraduate BBA program have contributed to these wins. In terms of pedagogy, many Goizueta classes have experiential elements baked into the learning. From my perspective as a faculty member, the BBA case competition team has taken this to a new level. Students get a chance to become founders of a start-up—full of vision, passion, effort, and smarts. They pour their heart into recruiting great teams and training them to win. With guidance and leadership from Paula Zwillich, director of student life and leadership, the BBA case competition teams will keep winning.
Are you a Goizueta BBA student interested in taking part in one of these case competitions? Email Paula Zwillich for more information and find out how you can add to this legacy.
Goizueta Business School’s undergraduate BBA program will help you build the foundation you need to tackle any challenge, anywhere, in any field. Learn more today.
