Captaincy was no doubt the largest role either of us had ever taken on. All we did for 10 months was live and breathe JDC West, and oftentimes, we’d find ourselves dreaming about JDC West in our slumber. It was always on our minds.
How do you explain this thing we were obsessed with, the glory that is JDC West? It’s hard to describe, but it’s something you have to experience. In the simplest form, it is a holistic competition that encompasses academics, debate, athletics and out-of-the-box social challenges, while volunteering and raising money for charity. Come competition weekend, you’ll find yourself walking into a hotel of the most spirited, intelligent, hardworking 600 students from Western Canada.
As Captains, our role was to support the development of our 13 teams (organizing workshops and mock competitions), ensure the entire team met the goals and requirements set out by the competition Organizing Committee (charity hours, charity donations, and competition deadlines), as well as ensure the team stays afloat (relationship management with key stakeholders, sponsorship, and finances). Overseeing everything from top to bottom, being Co-Captain was much like running our own business.
As for the 13 teams, regardless of the discipline you competed on, every single one of these individuals dedicated their heart and soul to practice. Academic teams hammered out countless amounts of cases while constantly refining their technical knowledge in their discipline. Debate argued over and over while staying on top of every single news story. Athletics had to practice multiple times every week in the pouring rain and sometimes even snow, and Social constantly tested themselves mentally and physically through various challenges all while directing the team skit.
Wondering about the dedication these guys put in? Some teams had practice 6 days a week and it was an unbelievable feeling to see how far everyone had come from the first Mock Competition to JDC West.
The difficulty in JDC West lies not within the 3-day competition itself, but it is the journey and the preparation that will test every ounce of your ability. Much like the Grouse Grind, the journey gets steeper, and steeper, more difficult, and more difficult. Throughout the year, you will find reasons to give up, reasons why someone else deserves your spot on the team, and reasons why your team won’t win. It is a test of resilience, one’s ability to adapt and learn, and most of all, one’s discipline.
When you reach that moment and pull through, there is no greater feeling. Hearing the words, “Beedie School of Business” being called at the awards gala is something that will always ring in our ears. There is no undergraduate experience where you will be more proud to be from SFU Beedie and most importantly, there is no undergraduate experience where you will be part of a family of 52 beauties who all share one goal and one dream.
Relive JDC West 2015 with us through this fantastic video
Jeremy is a 4th year student who is highly engaged in the Beedie community. Over the years, he has held leadership positions with a variety of student clubs and organizations, including being on the Executive Team for the Student Marketing Association, the Business Administration Student Society and most recently, the SFU Beedie JDC West Team. His proudest moment as an undergraduate would be representing the school in Victoria at JDC West 2015 as Co-Captain, alongside 52 of the most hard working, proud, and love-able teammates.
You can contact him at: jeremychao.92@gmail.com
Grace is concentrating in Marketing, Human Resources, and Entrepreneurship. Since her first year, she has loved being active within the Beedie community. She has been heavily involved in AIESEC SFU, where she planned a conference for 200 students in her role as Organizing Committee President. She also loves to meet new students and share her experiences through her past roles as BASS Mentorship Program Mentor and FROSH Leader. Currently, she is Co-Captain of this year’s SFU JDC West Team. Grace has made it a goal to encompass all the BE More Statements, and is fulfilling the last BE (BE Global) on her exchange term in Vienna. She looks forward to making the most of her Beedie experience before her undergraduate career comes to an end.
Video credit: Julian Fok