The conference included a panel discussion, speakers, workshops and networking opportunities for students to talk with industry members and peers from across the country. The competition challenges students with difficult ethical dilemmas they are likely to face in todays world.
It provides an opportunity for students to develop the skills and knowledge used in being a leader, said the coach of the UPEI case team, Mary Whitrow.
“The students worked hard to truly understand what it means to be ethical leaders in a practical sense, and I am so proud of the hard work and dedication they have shown over the semester,” she said.
UPEI’s team included Hannah Dawson, Shanna Blacquiere, Krista Lee Oliver and Carter MacDonald.
Ten days before the competition, the team received a business case they had never seen before. Using a number of resources, they prepared a 12-minute presentation to deliver on the first day of competition to a panel of academic and industry professionals.
The next day, the team received another case. This time they had just three hours to prepare before presenting to the judges, without using the Internet or textbooks. The judging panel said UPEI stood out for delivering a solution that was both ethically sound and realistic.
It was an excellent learning experience for them all, said Carter MacDonald.
“It challenged us to see problems from multiple points of view and to solve those problems ethically,” he said.
This is the fourth consecutive year UPEI has placed in the top four. In 2013 and 2014, they won the competition.
There were nine other teams from across Canada and the United States. The competition was held at Dalhousie University in early November.
