CPA Education Foundation supports collaborative student learning at MHC
Bringing together the minds of those taking business programs and those with an understanding of agriculture, students from Medicine Hat College (MHC) and Prairie Rose School Division collaborated in a case competition on Nov. 4.
Cows, Crops, & Calculators is an agriculture and accounting-focused competition, in which 60 students practice skills in teamwork, critical thinking, and time management, as they solve a business scenario. Winning teams were awarded $6000 in cash prizes, thanks to the generosity of the CPA Education Foundation, who funded the competition.
“Case competitions are amazing opportunities for students to learn as a team how to apply business and accounting skills in a real-world context. We are excited to support this event for Medicine Hat College students to mentor high school students through this process,” says Gordon Beal, senior vice-president outreach at CPA Education Foundation. “This competition is focused on the agriculture sector, which is the lifeblood of our province. These students are the next generation of leaders who will help shape the future of business.”
The first-place team included MHC Business Administration student, Tyra Lehr, MHC Sport & Event Marketing and Management student, Candia Sissons, and Eagle Butte High School students, Barrett Piotrowski and Toby Fischer, who will share a $3000 prize.
“You hear all the time that you really know something if you can teach someone else,” says Sissons. “[It was a challenge] letting go and totally trusting complete strangers in the group when we have such a time constraint, but it turned out that we worked really well together as a team.”
In their hypothetical scenario, the 14 participating teams were asked to be business consultants to a family-owned and operated farm as they considered how to invest their money. Each team explored the financial benefits and risks for the family who want to either purchase additional land or invest in improvements to their existing land, increasing their crop yield.
“I really liked the collaboration of their intelligence in the business aspect and ours in the actual farm knowledge,” says Piotrowski.
Lehr adds that the practical knowledge of farming made an impact on the way the team viewed the case and assessed the most viable solution, which made them successful.
Industry professionals acted as judges and included Asia market entry expert, Maneesh Kalra, EBT accountant, Donna Adams, MHC vice-president academic & provost, Nancy Brown, MHC vice-president administration & finance, Wayne Resch, and MNP partner, Tara Schafer.
“I would love to do another case competition,” says Sissons, who appreciated the support of business faculty and community members. “It was a great experience.”
To explore programs in MHC’s School of Business & Continuing Studies, visit www.mhc.ab.ca/business.
interested in a career in business? check out