DeGroote MBAs Shine at Case Competitions

There’s no doubt that case competitions are a vital part of the MBA experience. Not only do they help students gain valuable real-world experience, but they also help expand business acumen, develop creative thinking and prepare students for their future careers. And at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, their track record at international and national case competitions has been exceptional.

In 2016, DeGroote MBAs celebrated a record number of victories across Canada and beyond. In total, they took home seven first-place prizes, two second-place finishes and two third-place wins. And as for the always competitive MBA Games, for the third year out of five, DeGroote won.

In an article shared by the School, Milena Head, a Professor of Information Systems and the Wayne C. FoX Chair in Business Innovation, discussed the importance of case competitions for DeGroote MBAs. “A lot of MBA candidates are attracted to DeGroote because they see the caliber of our students, and they want to contribute to that legacy of success,” she said. “We’re home to MBA students from across Canada and around the world, and those who participate in case competitions find it to be a very enriching experience.”

As for what DeGroote’s students had to share about their case competition experiences, the responses were overwhelmingly positive.

Peter Vaiciunas, an alumnus, credits his experience participating in case competitions with helping him develop a personal brand and to stand out from the pack. “Case competitions are a great way to meet people in the industry you want to get into, and if you’re successful, they definitely raise your profile and create a splash,” he explained.

On the other hand, Joel Fox, an MBA ’14 alum, credits case competitions for his professional development. “Those competitions provided me the opportunity to take what I was learning throughout my MBA and apply it in more ‘real world’ situations, which required teamwork, decisiveness, and critical thinking—all essential skills in business,” he said.

In the end, for DeGroote, case competitions are about offering MBAs a challenging and effective learning opportunity. And based on the School’s success, there’s no indication that case competitions will be going out of style anytime soon.

regions: Toronto

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