Being able to attend a university and garner an education is a privilege. The opportunities available, and the experiences that result are invaluable to leading a meaningful life in the real world. Last week, I got to truly understand exactly what that means.
I competed in my first case competition at the university level, called CaseCamp: IBeGlobal. Although my teammates and I had a little bit of experience, we were still intimidated because we were up against students from all years. We were given a scenario that an international company underwent and our challenge was to analyze the information, find a viable solution to the problem and develop a 12-minute presentation. With enough time and thought put into it, an easy enough task you may think, but here’s the catch – We had to be ready to compete and face the judges in exactly 18.5 hours. Doesn’t seem so easy anymore now does it?
Leaving CaseCamp as the winner, I walked away with a euphoric feeling of accomplishment. More importantly, I had gained knowledge and experience that complemented what I have learnt in the classroom. CaseCamp gave me the confidence to believe in myself and my abilities. Sometimes, you sit in class and wonder, “when will I ever use this in my life?” With case competitions, we can turn the theories we are taught into practical experiences. I can comfortably say that my team and I would not have had the success we did without the tools we gained within the four walls of our lecture halls.
Case competitions are an experience like no other. They force you to think critically, analyze deeply and create strategies for success. They push you to your limits both mentally and physically, but I can guarantee that the outcome is far more rewarding than you would expect. The best part is, as a professor once told me, you only get better each time. Win or lose, the knowledge and experience you gain, the skills you strengthen and the people you meet are invaluable. An opportunity like this is a stepping-stone for your future success, both inside and out of university.
A quote I’ve always lived by: “You are where you are because of the choices you make. Not much comes by coincidence.” So, I urge you to take that step, be brave, and make that choice to compete in a case competition like this. The rewards are abundant, and in 10 years from now when you’re consulting for a Fortune 500 company or running your own multinational corporation, you’ll look back and see that the choice you made was a good one.
Jason is a first year student at the Beedie School of Business, concentrating in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. His current most notable experiences at SFU include: Youth Leader for Count on Me at Enactus SFU, Presenter and 2014 Regional Champion for Enactus SFU, Beedie Protegé Member, and Winner of the 2014 CaseCamp: IBeGlobal Competition. He looks forward to becoming more involved in Beedie activities, strengthening his skills by taking on bigger roles in Enactus and continuing to compete in case competitions. As he progresses in his degree, he’s excited to share his experiences at SFU with the Beedie community.