The 3rd Annual Create Your More^® Case Competition will challenge students to develop an innovate, rigorous and clear solution to a business problem that ranges across multiple disciplines. Teams must construct a solution that identifies the significant issues, considers alternate possibilities, and presents a lucid and effective strategy that incorporates all relevant factors and meets the needs of the client. 

 

Teams and Eligibility: Teams will consist of 3-5 students. All WSU undergraduate students (enrolled during the current semester) are eligible to participate (teams may not include graduate students or members from outside WSU).

Team Registration: Team Registration Link

First Round: Each team will submit online a written case report (Pdf format; 5 page maximum inclusive of all tables, graphs, data, appendices, etc.; the report may not contain the names of team members or identifying data) by the due date. Each report will be assigned a random number, and all reports will be anonymously evaluated. Only members of the team may work on the report, and teams may not consult faculty, advisors, or other students (see the AI Policy below). The report should be a unique submission that is constructed by each team’s members only. The rules of academic integrity apply, meaning that plagiarism, consulting faculty assistance, and theft of other team’s ideas will not be tolerated.  Reports in the first round will be evaluated by WSU faculty, and the first-round score will be the average of the individual scores. Judges will use the official report rubric (Report Rubric) in evaluating reports and will assign scores for each rubric category. 

Second Round: Up to five teams will advance to the second round based on scores from the first round. These teams will be announced on the date listed in the timetable. In the second round, each team will give a presentation (10 minute maximum; PowerPoint or other presentation software recommended) of their case analysis in a public competition. Only members of the team may work on the presentation, and teams may not consult faculty, advisors, or other students (see the AI Policy below). The presentation should be a unique submission that is constructed by each team’s members only. The rules of academic integrity apply, meaning that plagiarism, consulting faculty assistance, and theft of other team’s ideas will not be tolerated. Each presentation will be evaluated by three judges from the local business, government, and academic communities (Presentation Rubric).  After each presentation, judges will have 10 minutes to ask questions and give brief comments. Judges will score the presentations based on the official presentation rubric, and the final score for the case competition will be a combination of the two scores.

AI Policy: The use of AI software is not permitted in either writing the report or creating the presentation. AI software is permitted to research the issues, identify and download data, and identify and access relevant resources.

Awards Ceremony: The awards announcements and ceremony will occur shortly after the end of the presentations. Each finalist will receive a certificate (at a later date), and winning teams will receive the following awards:

      First Place Team          $1,000
      Second Place Team        $750
      Third Place Team            $500

Timeline:
      Registration Opens                                Monday, March 11
      Case Available:                                      Saturday, March 16
      Case Reports Due:                                 Friday, March 22
      Second-Round Teams Announced:         Tuesday, March 26
      Presentation Competition:                      Thursday, March 28

                                                                    1:00-3:00 PM                                                                                    Engagement Center   
      NOTE: All deadlines are 11:59 PM CST

Organizing Committee:

Brady Annen (brady.annen@go.winona.edu)

Prof. Marcy Faircloth (marcy.faircloth@winona.edu)

Prof. Larry Schrenk (lschrenk@winona.edu)