Team Of Smeal MBA Students Advances To Finals In Case Study Competition
Team Of Smeal MBA Students Advances To Finals In Case Study Competition
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA -- Four Penn State Smeal MBA students recently participated in the Chrysler-sponsored MBA Case Competition at the 25th Annual National Black MBA Association’s Conference and placed fourth out of 37 teams.
The Smeal team of James Asubonteng, Maxine Clayton, Thomas Houston, and Thema Nicholson advanced to the final round, topping teams from University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), Michigan, Northwestern (Kellogg), Georgetown (McDonough), and Middle Tennessee State at the September 24-27 event in Philadelphia.
The Chrysler case competition charged students with recommending short- and long-range marketing strategies to wean consumers from zero percent financing incentives and large cash rebates. Team members, who are selected based on merit, coursework, and public speaking ability, were given the case with one month to prepare, and eventually judged by Chrysler executives.
“We look for the standout MBAs,” said Assistant Professor Andy Gustafson, the team’s faculty advisor who accompanied the students to Philadelphia. “Case competitions, to me, are the truest test of an MBA’s skill set. Not only must they be able to apply those skills they have learned, but their professional presentation must stand above those they’re competing against.”
In 2002, another Penn State MBA team placed first at the Marshall Cup, held at the University of Southern California. Smeal MBAs also placed first this year in the International Graduate Logistics Case Competition.
“These situations truly give you a chance to shine,” said Nicholson, a member of the team that traveled to Philadelphia in September. “The competition is stiff, but it is exciting.”
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REPORTERS & EDITORS: For more information, please contact Wyatt DuBois in the Smeal College of Business Media Relations Office at 814-863-3798 or wed112@psu.edu.
Penn State's Smeal College of Business offers highly ranked undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, Ph.D., and executive education opportunities to more than 5,500 students at all levels. Featuring academic departments of accounting, finance, marketing, insurance and real estate, management, and supply chain and information systems, the college is also home to major research centers such as the Center for Supply Chain Research, the Institute for the Study of Business Markets, the Center for Digital Transformation, the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Center for Global Business Studies, and the Center for the Management of Technological and Organizational Change.
