MHC students tackle real-world marketing challenges
Facing real-world business challenges, gaining connections to industry, and implementing their classroom knowledge are all benefits gained by students in the Medicine Hat College (MHC) Case Club. Thanks to a generous contribution from Cancarb Limited, a global leader in thermal carbon black production, students continue to gain this valuable experience.
The seven competitors in the case competition stand with Cancarb's Chris Sawicki.Case competitions provide an opportunity for students to analyze complex business problems, develop strategic recommendations, and present their solutions to a panel of judges. With no access to the internet during the event, participants rely solely on their knowledge, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.
Chris Sawicki, an MHC Business Administration alum and Americas Marketing Representative for Cancarb, has guided the competition for three consecutive years. He believes these experiences are instrumental in preparing students for their future careers.
“Having those real-world problems and working through them shows you what you're going to be dealing with when you get into the working world,” says Sawicki, who enjoys seeing the marketing solutions presented by students each year. “You can learn a lot in a textbook, but every industry has very unique aspects.”
Through case competitions, students strengthen their public speaking, market analysis, and presentation development, skills Sawicki notes are critical for success in today’s business environment. By engaging directly with industry professionals, students gain insights that go beyond the classroom.
Cancarb’s involvement extends beyond mentorship, also providing prizes for the top two teams. The first-place team included first-year Business Administration students Kyler Brost, Nicholas Cumming, and Tyra Lehr, who impressed judges with their innovative solutions.
Tyra Lehr makes notes on a whiteboard as her team works to solve the Cancarb case.
Miranda Davies, instructor for the program, says key factors set the winning team apart.
“Their presentation was dynamic with strong eye contact and body posture - nonverbal behaviours in presentations are critical. Secondly, their solution was financially driven with an understandable return on investment for Cancarb.”
Davies adds, the support from Cancarb both allows students the opportunity to compete with others across the province, while also supporting local learning opportunities.
“Having Cancarb in the classroom with students is crucial to their success,” says Davies. “After the students had competed, Chris explained to them what Cancarb had actually done, so students were able to learn from a real-world situation.”
To learn more about the Business Administration program at MHC, visit www.mhc.ab.ca.