Through the SBA's new Scholars program, student teams compete in several judged business problem case competitions during the academic year. Here they are presented a dilemma that a business leader may encounter. Working under deadlines, each team analyzes the situation and uses their business knowledge to develop realistic recommendations to address the issue. They then present their findings to the judges.
The OU Branch of the MSU Federal Credit Union Scholars Case Competition takes place Saturday, Feb. 11, where three teams will create a 20-minute presentation offering a solution to the same problem. The presentation portion, which is open to the public, takes from noon - 2 p.m. in 235 Elliott Hall. One team will win a small prize.
The new Scholars program offers participants many ways to build leadership and analytical skills, including the case competitions which provides an avenue for team work, leadership, analytical skills, and public speaking and presenting. (See related story here.)
Businesses in the community support the education and development of future business leaders by sponsoring the case competitions. This year's sponsors -- and the Oakland University Branch of MSU Federal Credit Union (MSU-FCU) and PNC Bank, which sponsors the March case competition -- also award the winning team of each case competition with prizes.
Whether or not they take first place, all participants are winners, notes Dan LeClair, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of management education.
“Programs like (Scholars) can enhance student learning by making the outcomes of decisions more tangible,” LeClair says. “Team competitions provide opportunities for individuals to lead and develop vital professional networks.”
It also translates to a better community, believes John M. Savio, vice president, OU branch of the MSU-FCU, and member of SBA’s Board of Visitors. “The credit union supports Scholars because the program helps make a better, more informed, educated citizen, and that knowledge benefits the entire community.”
Case competitions also help develop superior future employees, believes Michael Bickers, Finance & Accounting ’86, who not only encouraged his company, PNC Bank, to sponsor Scholars but also mentors four students.
“It’s great to work as a team, but you have to hold yourself and your teammates accountable for their roles, which can be hard to learn,” says Bickers, PNC’s executive vice president and retail market manager. “You also learn to push each other to do extraordinary things; and that spills over into everything you do.”
Through the SBA's new Scholars program, student teams compete in several judged business problem case competitions during the academic year. Here they are presented a dilemma that a business leader may encounter. Working under deadlines, each team analyzes the situation and uses their business knowledge to develop realistic recommendations to address the issue. They then present their findings to the judges.
The OU Branch of the MSU Federal Credit Union Scholars Case Competition takes place Saturday, Feb. 11, where three teams will create a 20-minute presentation offering a solution to the same problem. The presentation portion, which is open to the public, takes from noon - 2 p.m. in 235 Elliott Hall. One team will win a small prize.