How case competitions can elevate your college experience
How case competitions can elevate your college experience
In college, it’s important to bridge the gap between classroom learning and hands-on experiences. Case competitions are an excellent way to do just that. They’re not just academic exercises — they’re a launchpad for real-world success.
Here are four key reasons why, with input from current Wilson College of Business students:
Gain real-world experience
Case competitions simulate real-life business challenges, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge and develop practical solutions. Many competitions are organized by professionals in the field, and some even mimic real scenarios.
For Brock Sobek (‘25), gaining practical knowledge was a key takeaway from his experience in the CFA Institute Research Challenge for financial analysis. In class, Sobek learned the fundamentals of reading and interpreting financial reports, but analyzing a real-world example — John Deere’s financials in this case — proved far more complex.
The team was tasked with diving deep into John Deere’s financials and researching the agricultural industry to make an informed stock valuation.
“I think the biggest takeaway for me was gaining some technical skills,” Sobek said. “You learn in class, but when you see financial reports from a company like John Deere, it’s much more complicated. So, applying what I learned to a real company was very beneficial.”
Develop new skills
Case competitions help students build both hard and soft skills, such as communication, public speaking, problem-solving, analysis, time management, teamwork and strategic thinking.
At the Operation Stimulus Supply Chain Management Case Competition at Colorado State, Colin Spies (’25) found that the most valuable skills he developed were presenting and public speaking. Spies and his team were tasked with solving a distribution and logistics issue for a fictitious company and presenting their solution to a panel of judges and an audience for 20 minutes.
Spies estimates the crowd was over 100 people, and his team placed second.
Getting experiences like public speaking and presenting is really beneficial for students entering the workforce. You never know when you’ll be asked to speak publicly, so building that skill is important.”
Create a well-rounded resume
Case competitions can make your resume stand out and pique employers’ interest. In interviews, these experiences demonstrate that you went above and beyond to gain industry-relevant skills.
For Spies, case competitions became a consistent talking point during interviews throughout college. He’s not alone in that experience.
“Employers really like to see what you’re doing outside of class — it shows your value as a potential employee,” Spies said. “Putting yourself out there demonstrates that you have what it takes to be an asset to the company.”
Build networks and friendships
Case competitions provide opportunities to connect with fellow students, judges, and industry professionals. Plus, they’re fun! These experiences can lead to lifelong friendships or even job opportunities.
During the CFA Institute Research Challenge, Sobek's team networked with an agricultural equity research firm based in New York. Two older team members leveraged that connection to secure interviews for open positions at the firm.
“Those real-world connections helped them get their resumes to the top and land interviews,” Sobek said.
Spies has also built lasting friendships through his case competitions. Two of his teammates from the supply chain competition moved to Dallas after graduation and now live together as roommates. Spies plans to visit them soon and regularly stays in touch with other students he met through competitions.
“Case competitions are a great way to connect with employers and other business students,” Spies said. “That’s so valuable.”
Get involved
Case competitions are a focus at the UNI Wilson College of Business. Explore a list of available competitions for business majors and consider joining one today.
