Senior Hannah Wall, a management and entrepreneurship major, took first place, winning $2,500, in UMW COB’s Blate-Schneibolk Strategy Case Competition.
The Blate-Schneibolk Strategy Case Competition took place in the College of Business (COB) on Thursday, April 16. Now in its 10th year, the bi-annual event began with a reception in Woodard Hall’s Red Room, with opening remarks from COB Dean Filiz Tabak.
The Case Competition pits teams from UMW’s 400-level Strategic Management course against one another in a quest to sort out a “case” of a struggling business. Participants tap into the concepts and skillsets they’ve collected in class to analyze issues, plan a path to success and impress a panel of judges. The challenge gives students the type of real-world experience they’ll likely encounter in their careers, plus the top three contenders walk away with cash prizes totaling $5,000.
This semester’s case, focused on Coursera and its AI strategy, was judged by Andrew Blate ’04 and Craig Schneibolk, co-owners of Beautiful Home Services, and Jenn Cole ’06, a Markel Insurtech Underwriters director.
“The judges were impressed by the creativity of the recommended strategies, the depth of the analysis and the professionalism of the presentations. They noted that this year’s presentations were the best since the competition began,” said UMW Assistant Professor of Management Samira Fallah. “The college is proud of the excellent work of its faculty, staff and students and looks forward to making the event even bigger and stronger in the future.”
Five teams competed, each delivering a 10-minute presentation followed by a five-minute question-and-answer session with the judges.
Senior Hannah Wall, a management and entrepreneurship major, took first place, winning $2,500. Seniors Lucy Gentry, a double major in marketing, and communications and digital studies, and Maria Torres, who is majoring in business administration, came in second, taking home $1,500; and Ashlyn Diederich, Kyra Frola, Marisol Juarez, Megan Fallin and Lindsay Price finished third, winning $1,000.
“The students were extremely well prepared, professional, and did a fantastic job,” Blate said. “I firmly believe that the Case Competition is one of the best displays of the amazing job the professors and staff are doing to create not only great students but ones who are ready for success in the future.”
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