The Michigan Tech College of Business Collegiate DECA Chapter brought a record 13 students to the state Career Development Conference in Bay City, Michigan last month, where nine were recognized as finalists. Five Business Huskies were top-three competitors and now move on to global competition at the International Career Development Conference in San Francisco, California in April.
This post was written by Sammy Perrone. In addition to being a first-year marketing student at Michigan Tech, Perrone serves as the Michigan Tech Collegiate DECA public relations officer and marketer.
In April, qualifying members of DECA flew to Baltimore, Maryland, for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC). Huskies were joined by nearly 900 Collegiate DECA members from more than 30 states and 50 chapters, including a chapter from England. Over the three-day conference, students took part in not only their competitive events, but also networking opportunities and the Professional Development Series.
Collegiate DECA is a student organization that prepares emerging leaders in the areas of finance, marketing, hospitality, management and entrepreneurship. Michigan Tech College of Business student competitors included:
The Professional Development Series Workshop at ICDC allowed students to choose four workshops to attend throughout the day. Huskies chose from Personal Branding, Fundraising and Community Outreach, How to Network like a Pro, and Mastering Motivation.
“During the Personal Branding workshop, I analyzed the way I present myself and the way others perceive my personal brand. It was great to reflect on my own brand, meet other students and see how they promote themselves and their own unique qualities,” Perrone says.
The second and third days of the conference consisted of preliminary and final competitions. Jaylen Body (Hotel and Lodging) and Lexi Dembroski (Financial Accounting) were both finalists in their preliminary events, before moving onto the final competition where they received finalist medals on stage and were recognized as top 10 finalists internationally in their events at the awards ceremony.
Dembroski expressed that, “Competing in Financial Accounting allowed me to take concepts I learn in the classroom and apply them to real-world scenarios. As a first-year Michigan Tech business student, I cannot stress enough how valuable of an experience this was. Learning about the core financial statements in class is one thing, but actually getting the opportunity to analyze, produce and present these documents is another.”
“The career preparation provided by Collegiate DECA is unrivaled.”
Body, club president, adds: “Having thought about the hospitality industry as a potential career, listening to keynote speaker, Apoorva Gandhi, Marriott International’s Senior VP of Multicultural Affairs, and participating in the Hotel and Lodging event, I gained and reinforced an understanding of how business sectors come together to provide a memorable customer experience.”
In addition to competing, Perrone participated in the Sales Challenge sponsored by England Logistics. She was tasked with analyzing a sales case study and preparing a presentation to close the sale during the role-play competition.
“I went into the Sales Challenge knowing it was a valuable opportunity to learn, challenge myself and gain knowledge. Having an understanding of sales is essential for my future in marketing,” Perrone says.
“I am grateful for the professional development opportunities DECA has provided me through the Career Development Conferences.”
Also a first-time DECA participant, Zach Hooper, comments on what he gained from the conference, “ICDC gave me the opportunity to prepare for my future career in business. I heard from career professionals about their path to success, and how the business world works.”
In their free time, students explored the Inner Harbor of Baltimore—visiting the National Aquarium, eating at local restaurants, spending time outdoors in the sunshine and networking with chapter members from Davenport University.
Body is optimistic about the future of DECA at Michigan Tech, stating, “After a successful startup year, Collegiate DECA will continue striving to bring more opportunities to campus for students to improve their professionalism, communication and leadership.”
Michigan Tech Collegiate DECA thanks its sponsors for helping make the trip possible: the College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council, Inter-Residence Housing Council, and the Dean of Students Office.
The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.
Back from the Michigan Collegiate DECA Career Development Conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the business Huskies of Michigan Technological University made a strong first appearance, participating in and winning competitions while earning a spot to nationals.
Student competitors included:
Their successful showing qualifies the team for the national competition in April at the International Career Development Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
In addition to the competitions, students contributed to roundtable discussions where they chose from topics including: Global citizen strategy, career tips and tricks, nonverbal communication, and conflict resolution.
The conference was attended in person by Collegiate DECA groups from Cleary University, Davenport University, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan. Eastern Michigan University, Kettering University, and Northwood University competed virtually.
Between functions, the Huskies explored downtown Kalamazoo and visited with downstate-based parents (and enjoyed home-baked cookies!). Other social highlights included singing carpool karaoke and navigating fresh snow to the Mackinac Bridge.
It was a fun and successful trip!
To support Michigan Tech DECA’s goals and travels, connect with Advisor Jenny Apriesnig. Follow the group on Instagram @mtu_deca.
The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.
By Jaylen Body, Michigan Tech management student and DECA club president
After a five-year hiatus, Collegiate DECA has been reactivated on the campus of Michigan Technological University, and members are gearing up to hit the road for their first State Career Development Conference February 4-6.
Collegiate DECA is a program that prepares emerging leaders in the areas of finance, marketing, hospitality, management, and entrepreneurship. It’s for students interested in not just problem solving, but business problem solving. Participants engage in competitive events where they’re faced with business problems reflective of real-life situations in industry, and are challenged to develop innovative solutions before presenting their ideas to industry professionals. In addition to competitions, students can dive into Collegiate DECA challenges, like the Stock Market Game or the Virtual Case Simulation—an interactive, browser-based simulation allowing students to take charge of a virtual business environment.
This month, members of MTU DECA, advised by Jenny Apriesnig, assistant professor of economics, are preparing to attend the State Career Development Conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where six Huskies will participate in individual and team competitive events. To kick off preparations, the group invited College of Business accounting and DECA alumna Katie Draves to inspire current members.
Detailing her experiences, Draves credits DECA for being an organization that has “something for everyone,” explaining that no matter the area of study, DECA is an organization anyone can get involved in.
Speaking on the career benefits of being in DECA, she promises students that they’ll learn to be well rounded and prepared for different situations, and will gain exposure to valuable networking opportunities.
When asked for tips and advice on how members participating in the state conference can succeed, Draves says, “Get to know your strengths and weaknesses,” but most importantly, she encourages students to learn from their unique experiences while competing.
“Get to know your strengths and weaknesses.”
Thinking about the upcoming opportunity, first-year marketing student Sammy Perrone says: “I hope to make connections, build relationships, and gain knowledge and skills that will help me build a foundation for my college and career endeavors.”
“I hope to make connections, build relationships, and gain knowledge and skills that will help me build a foundation for my college and career endeavors.”
Michigan Tech Collegiate DECA welcomes new members of all majors. The group is a good fit for students looking to get involved in a professional organization that applies classroom material to real business problems. Follow along on Instagram @mtu_deca.
The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.
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tudents from Michigan Tech’s chapter of Distributive Educational Clubs of America (DECA) attended the State Career Development Conference over spring break. The competition has three different types of events which include case studies, business simulations, and prepared events. The students are given thirty minutes to an hour to prepare the event depending on the type, and then present their findings to judges who grade them based on specific performance indicators. For the business simulations and case studies, no outside materials are allowed. The competition is designed to take the knowledge students learn inside the classroom and apply it to real world problems. The judges are professionals from that specific area meaning that the judge typically works for a firm within that industry and/or holds certifications which makes them competent to judge the event. This year, eleven members from Michigan Tech attended the conference, and nine qualified for the International Career Development Conference. Ken Arndt placed third in the corporate finance event, and Cassandra Barry (pictured below) placed first in the accounting event. In Michigan Tech’s chapter of DECA, placing first in any event had only occurred three times, once when the chapter was established, and twice in 2013.
