UPEI case team kicks off new season with second-place showing at AIBC
A team from UPEI’s Faculty of Business recently took second place at the Alberta International Business Competition, hosted by the University of Alberta in Jasper. The international competition featured teams from eleven universities from around the world.
“The Faculty of Business is very proud of this accomplishment,” said Dr. Jurgen Krause, dean of the Faculty of Business at UPEI. “This result is a continuing testament to the quality of our curriculum, our professors, as well as the case-competition program coordinator and the students in this program.”
UPEI’s team was made up of Jacob Ezeard (fourth-year BBA, minor in economics), Ethan MacFadyen (third-year BBA, finance specialization), Ellen Ross (third-year BBA), and Andrew Stetson (third-year BBA).
Teams were divided into three divisions and tasked with developing and presenting solutions to two cases, with five hours and 30 hours respectively for each preparation period. In each round, after presenting their solution to a panel of judges, teams received scores and were ranked. The teams with the highest cumulative scores in their divisions were invited to the finals, which included Concordia University, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and Thammasat University from Thailand.
UPEI rode a rollercoaster through the first round, placing last in its division after the five-hour case. The team made a spectacular comeback with its second case, which boosted UPEI to second place in its division. Each second-place team participated in a “Challenger Round”, giving a five-minute pitch to describe their 30-hour case solution. UPEI won this round, earning a place in the finals.
The UPEI team presented its solution three times in the span of less than two hours (with minutes in between the challenger round and the final) and performed so well, it achieved a second-place finish overall.
“These four students worked very hard leading up to the competition and further honed their skills once at competition,” said Mary Whitrow, case competition program coordinator and advisor. “Thank you to the professors who lent their expertise to our case program over the past semester, and to the dean of the Faculty of Business for his constant support.”
“I think our team learned a lot about perseverance and adaptability during the competition,” said Jacob Ezeard. “After a sub-par presentation during the first day of competition, and lots of feedback from the judges, we rallied together to make the necessary changes to ensure we were ready to succeed during the 30-hour case.”
“This was a phenomenal opportunity to compete in an international competition,” said Ellen Ross. “It was a week filled with personal growth, team work, and career-building experiences. Meeting so many amazing people made it that much more memorable!”
“It was awesome to interact with like-minded people from all around the world and to have the chance to use everything we've learned in our classes in real-world business situations,” said Andrew Stetson.
“Travelling to Jasper, Alberta to represent UPEI at AIBC was an incredible experience,” said Ethan MacFadyen. “It was our first international competition as a team and coming home with a second-place finish makes it that much sweeter.”
Congratulations!
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.
