Mentoring Case Competitions – Royal Roads 2008

I believe mentoring in case competitions is one of the best ways for faculty to engage students and make memorable experiences during their academic careers.  I have made many lasting friendships which continue years after the competitions are over and the students have left SFU. Time and time again, I hear from students that case competitions are the one chance for them to take all the stuff they get in class and apply it in an integrated fashion.  Light bulbs go on for many of them, which is why so many students do several case competitions (the first one gets them hooked).

My involvement with case competitions began shortly after I arrived at SFU.  As a mentor, I enjoy the opportunity to work with our brightest and most engaged students.  Bringing together the right mix of students to form a team is the first, and perhaps most important value added.  Then, throughout the course of training I bring the team come together as cohesive unit.  Finally, I am proud to be with our students at the competitions as they represent SFU.

After listening to one student practice presentation that contained a large summary the case, I told a student not to spend the first 5 minutes recounting the information contained in the case.  The student told me that he was just used to doing that because it had been an important part of his past in-class presentations. He felt liberated when I told him not to do it because people don’t need to be told what they already know.  I could literally see this student make that link between in-class material and “real world” application, recognizing the difference between summarizing and analyzing, and taking that step from memorizing to adding real value to a business.

In 2007, in my first time as coach, our team came in a close second place in the Royal Roads Case Competition. I appreciated how well our students rated against other teams from Canada and the United States.  However, the following year we set out with a goal of besting our 2007 result.  I had to return to Vancouver early that weekend but eagerly waited for a phone call with the results.  When the team phoned that Saturday night to tell me about the victory I could hear pride and exuberance in their voices.  I was proud of them, their achievement and the opportunity to be a part of it.

– Dr. John Peloza, Assistant Professor, Marketing.