On February 10, four Durham College (DC) students stepped up to the challenge at Vanier College in Montreal. The team of students were chosen to compete in the 10^th annual BDC Case Challenge, a marketing case competition involving colleges from across the country.

The team placed fourth out of 33 teams, the first time DC has made it into the finals for this annual competition. Marketing students Christian Schortemeyer, Madelaine Cox, and Michelle Lavender joined by Dan Cole, a student from the Entrepreneurship program, worked together to analyze a business problem and create an innovative marketing plan. After three hours, and no internet access, the teams were required to share their plan with a panel of judges and an audience in a 20-minute presentation.

“It was an amazing opportunity to finally put my knowledge and creativity to the test. It was so interesting to hear the ideas of other students from all across Canada,” said Lavender. “The BDC Case Challenge was the highlight of my schooling. It was challenging but also a lot of fun and I am so honoured to have helped Durham position in fourth for the first time ever.”

This weekend-long event, sponsored by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), gives students an opportunity to apply the skills they have developed in the classroom to a real-world situation. Professors from the School of Business, IT & Management handpicked the students based on their performance in their Case Analysis course.

“When you strive to do your best in any course, there can be unexpected bonuses,” said Schortemeyer. “The extra experiences that you can say you’ve been a part of make college fun and make DC a place to remember!”