Nov. 6, 2009—A team of women students in the North Caroline State University College of Management's Jenkins MBA program won first place in the National Association of Women MBA (NAWMBA) annual case competition.

The winning team members—Hong Jiang, Megan Naugle, Bri Tegtmeier, Emily Curley, and Debranetta Gethers—are members of the NC State Jenkins MBA chapter of NAWMBA. They were one of six teams who made it to the final competition, held in Anaheim, California, on October 31, 2009, as part of the national NAWMBA Annual Conference and Career Fair. They faced stiff competition from NAWMBA teams representing MBA programs, including Indiana University and Rice University.

Megan Naugle, president of the NC State Jenkins' chapter, said the competition "was an amazing experience to present our plan to a panel of judges and use our communication skills."

Any NAWMBA team can participate in the case competition. Each team must consist of four or five MBA students. There are three rounds of competition; the first two are judged remotely and the last is presented to judges at the conference. The NC State Jenkins MBA NAWMBA had participated in the 2008 competition, but did not reach the final round.

This year's national competition involved a marketing/strategy case which included the creation of a marketing plan. "We created a three-page write-up with two pages of exhibits for submission. When we made it to the final six teams, we made a presentation," Naugle said. The NAWMBA does not disclose details about the case.

To prepare for the competition, the Jenkins MBA NAWMBA team "focused on using innovative, creative ideas to differentiate our plan and used innovative technology solutions, including social media and online forums," said Naugle. "As a team, we analyzed the key issues and created a plan to solve the problems. Our MBA classes and prior work experiences prepared us to analyze the case."

Naugle felt that winning the competition has definitely benefited her personally. "This case was an opportunity use a variety of skill sets and knowledge I have learned throughout my MBA experience." As for the club, Naugle said, "[The win] will encourage teams to participate in future case competitions and attend the national conference and career fair."

The team received $3,000 for its first place win in the competition, which was sponsored this year by Home Depot.

About the NC State Jenkins NAWMBA Chapter

"The purpose of our chapter is to provide an avenue for socializing amongst members, networking with industry professionals and alumni, and learning about global business practices," Naugle said. The Jenkins NAWMBA chapter members also participate in community service activities, such as volunteering with Dress for Success and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. The club also sponsors a mentoring program that matches female business students with professionals and alumni.

Current officers are Megan Naugle, president; Staci Soloway, vice president of alumni relations; Kavya Nagendra, vice president of events; and Suki Batni, vice president of finance.

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Related Links

1. http://www.mgt.ncsu.edu/index-exp.php/news/article/jenkins-mbas-nawmba-team-wins-national-case-competition/