Case competition success for SFU Beedie undergraduates

SFU Beedie’s JDC West Team. Photo by Brett Dietterle (www.brettdietterlephotography.com)

Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business won a total of eight podium places in this year’s JDC West case competition. JDC West is Western Canada’s largest business case competition, hosting almost 600 undergraduate delegates from twelve of Western Canada’s leading post-secondary institutions. Delegates compete in a number of disciplines, including academics, debate and athletics. This year’s competition took place over the span of three days from January 12 to 14, 2018, at the University of Calgary.

The SFU Beedie team of undergraduate students produced exceptional results, bringing home three first place wins in the categories of Business Technology, Marketing, and Not-for-profit; four second place wins in Business Strategy, Finance, Participation, and Athletics; and a fourth place win for School of the Year.

Along with their performances during the weekend’s competition, the SFU Beedie team raised a total of $10,000 for local charities as part of JDC West’s fundraising and volunteering component.

Next year, The Beedie School of Business will host JDC West 2019. The school will host 800 students along with business partners and coaches at the competition in Burnaby next January.

SFU Beedie JDC West Faculty Advisor, Christian Venhuizen and Team Captain, Ginny Hsiang.

This year’s team was led by captain Ginny Hsiang and comprised 52 undergraduate students from the school. They were supported by faculty advisor, Christian Venhuizen, and 36 alumni coaches, who dedicated their time to prepare the team during a six-month long training program.

“The 10 academic teams, plus one each for athletics, social, and debate put in over 5500 training hours over the last six months while also taking a full course load, working, and finding time for family and social activities,” says Christian Venhuizen. “I’m proud of every member of this team; every delegate who travelled to Calgary was committed to doing their best, and supporting their fellow Beedie delegates. Together, they have helped set the stage for next year.”

For team captain Ginny Hsiang, the evolution of the undergraduate students from being separate teams to one whole unit, as well as the high energy and hard work by the SFU Beedie team continuously motivated her to empower them throughout the competition.

“It was amazing because I knew our competitors had finally broken past the mindset of being thirteen teams, and congregated together as one family,” says Ginny as she recalls watching the team interact during their final mock competition before JDC West. “The competition is just an event we were all going to; the magic was that 52 people came together and decided to reach for success.”

Ginny also recognizes the hard work put in by the wider team of coaches, alumni, faculty and staff: “There is absolutely no greater reward than watching the collaborative efforts of all those involved. Truly, our team does not exist without everyone’s collective efforts, between students, coaches, faculty and alumni.”