UPEI students take second place at Alberta Not-For-Profit Association Case Competition

UPEI’s Faculty of Business sent two teams to the Alberta Not-For-Profit Association (ANPA) Case Competition, and one came home with second-place honours. The competition was the faculty’s fourth competition of the season.

Hosted by the University of Alberta School of Business in Edmonton, the ANPA competition is the only international, not-for-profit-focused case competition for undergraduate students in Canada. Similar to other case competitions, it encompasses elements of strategy, marketing, finance, accounting, etc., but it focuses on the unique challenges of the not-for-profit world. Students must consider and balance the social mission of the organization, as well as its financial goals. Competitors must find creative, resourceful, and practical solutions—and do it with the limited resources of a not-for-profit organization.

Team one from UPEI was made up of Alex Dunne, Andrew Chapman, Kate Kinsman, and Sydney Gallant. Team two included Carter MacDonald, Shanna Blacquiere, Krista Lee Oliver, and Brodie Watts.

“ANPA was a great opportunity to apply our knowledge to a real-life not for profit organization,” said Gallant. “Preparing for this competition challenged us to learn about the concepts we study in class apply to not-for-profit organizations.”

On the first day of the competition, students attended a panel presentation and learned about the not-for-profit sector in Alberta. They took part in a poverty simulation, which educated participants about the day-to-day realities of life with little money and an abundance of stress.

The ‘case partner’ for the competition was the YMCA of Northern Alberta (YNAB). Students toured the YMCA facilities in downtown Edmonton, where they were able to interact with employees and get acquainted with the organization before participating in a ‘live’ case competition, working on a real and current problem of the YNAB.

“Knowing that the organization was currently looking for our help made the experience that much more exciting and worthwhile,” said Oliver.

Students had 24 hours to analyze and prepare a solution to the case. During that period, they had access to the Internet and textbooks, but were allowed no communication outside of the members of their respective teams. Teams were given 15 minutes to present their solution, and an additional seven to answer judges’ questions and defend their recommendations.

UPEI’s team one successfully made it to the final round, where they gave their presentation again, this time with ten minutes for questions and defense. The team took a respectable second place, finishing behind a team from the University of Regina.

“The students understood that they needed to shift their mindset when working with a non-profit organization,” said Mary Whitrow, case competition program coordinator and coach. “They were able to create insightful and practical solutions for the YNAB that also achieved an excellent result for UPEI.

“We can all be proud of our case teams and the results they were able to achieve at the ANPA Case Competition,” said Dr. Juergen Krause, dean of the Faculty of Business. “Congratulations to the team for representing UPEI so well.”

As part of the prizes for the ANPA Case Competition, teams who finish first, second, or third are given the opportunity to donate $5,000, $3,000, or $1,000 respectively to the charity of their choice. The unrestricted grant is provided by the event’s title sponsor, the Muttart Foundation.

UPEI’s team chose to direct its donation to Parkinson Canada, because a member of Kate Kinsman’s lives with Parkinson’s disease. Her teammates chose to donate to this charity in advance of the competition, but didn’t tell her until after their win.

“I want to thank all the ANPA organizers and the Muttart Foundation for the opportunity to give this generous donation to Parkinson Canada,” said Kinsman.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.