Emily Chen parlays global exchange into Tsinghua Cup victory and prestigious internship

A Beedie School of Business undergraduate student has won a prestigious Chinese case competition while on exchange at Tsinghua University in Beijing – flying the flag for Simon Fraser University in the process.

BBA fourth year student Emily Chen was a member of the team which placed first in the Tsinghua Cup Case Competition on May 27. Their presentation earned them the top spot out of a field of 32 teams.

Chen and her three teammates were rewarded for their victory with a summer internship at Roland Berger, rated one of the top five management consultant firms in the global strategy consulting market.

“The Tsinghua Cup Case Competition was an intense experience, not just because it draws a lot of attention in the business school community, but mainly because my team was so dedicated and passionate about doing a great analysis,” says Chen.

Chen’s team were given one week to prepare for the competition, which consists of two rounds, the first of which sees teams split into four pools with the top teams in each group progressing to the final. Their presentation focused on diversifying risk and cultivating sustainable growth for a small US based medical devices company.

“In other case competitions I have competed in, generally I have been placed in a team with people whom I have never met before, but here we were allowed to pick our teams,” Chen explains. “Case competitors will often vouch for the power of team chemistry and I was very lucky to be on such a strong team.”

Chen is currently studying at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, one of the top ranked business schools in Asia. “Studying at Tsinghua has been a learning experience for me,” she says. “I’ve met outstanding individuals in their field, but more importantly, I see their passion and dedication which inspires me to make pursuing my passion a habit.”

Chen has previous experience in case competitions at the Beedie School of Business, having placed first at JDC West and competed at the Dalhousie Business Ethics and the Inter-Collegiate Business Competitions.

“The Beedie case competition community is very giving, so I was proud to represent SFU at Tsinghua,” she says. “The alumni, teachers and faculty take time to hone our case skills but more importantly, they mentor us. I hope that my win will not only demonstrate — but also justify — their time and effort.”