Missouri State University’s Collegiate DECA team proved it was a force to be reckoned with at the Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) by securing four top 10 awards.
The DECA ICDC represents the pinnacle of the DECA year. This year’s collegiate event took place in Austin, Texas, from April 20-23. Students participated in competitive events, professional development activities, networking and more.
Top 10 awards
“Our students performed exceptionally well, securing four top 10 awards in highly competitive categories,” said Dr. Azadeh Sabz, assistant professor of management.
- Emma Trowbridge – information technology – application development; received an award in the entrepreneurship operations category for analyzing a real-world case study involving human resources, cash flow management and customer service.
- Emily Debonnaire – marketing management; received an award in the retail management category for analyzing a real-world case study involving marketing and management functions and tasks in any retail establishment.
- Madelynn Jared – marketing management; received an award in hotel and lodging for analyzing a real-world case study involving marketing and management tasks in hospitality businesses, including lodging, food and beverage services, special events and meeting space.
- Faith Mirowski – human resource management and Kayle Gosche – international business; received an award in marketing communications for analyzing a real-world marketing communications case study involving tasks to inform, persuade or remind a target market of ideas, experiences, goods or services and proposed solutions.
“This year’s collegiate ICDC featured over 1,200 students competing in 25 event categories. They represented 32 U.S. states, along with competitors from Puerto Rico and England,” said Isaac Moon, vice president of administration of MSU Collegiate DECA.
Each event category featured 40-60 competitors, making MSU’s four top 10 placements even more impressive.
Qualifying for ICDC
For students to attend ICDC, they must place in the top three of their event categories at the Missouri Collegiate DECA State Career Development Conference. This year’s conference was held in Columbia, Missouri, on Feb. 16.