IME students for the 2017/2018 academic year participated in their first case competition as a cohort at the end of September. This was an internal competition between IME students. Each group was given one week to read, analyze, and create a solution for the company represented. Once all this was completed each team was required to present for ten-minutes, with a five-minute question period.
It is probably true that when most students hear “group work” there is a little bit of cringing inside, mixed with the feeling of hope for a group that is able to work together and get their jobs done, especially right at the start of the semester. For most students, this experience is filled with both excitement, anxiousness, and feelings of awkwardness. For each, these feelings stem from different areas. The aspect that is the most challenging and awkward about these situations, the ones that force people together with different experiences, is the different strengths and weaknesses and ultimately different perspectives that each person holds. In addition, each group is tested publicly on whether they will have the determination to pull through or break down. For the IME students, the outcome was one filled with great presentations and groups that were able to work together resulting in a job well done. Perhaps, the awkwardness of different values, strengths, weaknesses and public testing is what gives group work the potential of greatness. Maybe Mike M. is onto something...
The internal case teams in their moment in the spotlight.
After a morning of watching very well put together presentations, we are proud to announce Tasha Silver, Emily Henke, and Gage Cherriman as the winners of our internal case competition!
Tasha (left), Gage (middle), and Emily (right)
These three talented students will be working on a new case as they advance into the next round of the ICBC Competition. If they place high enough, they will have an opportunity to travel to Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario in January to compete at the national level. Wish them luck!