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Niagara College (NC) students from the School of Business and Management excelled at the 2024 Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition (OCMC), earning second place overall.

Held November 14 to 15 at St. Clair College in Windsor, the OCMC provides a platform for marketing students across Ontario to showcase their skills through a variety of individual and team events, including case challenges, sales presentations, job interviews, and a quiz bowl.

The journey to OCMC began in April when NC students applied to join the competition team. Selected students participated in a specialized course starting in September, followed by an internal marketing case competition in October, which determined final event assignments. Each student then worked closely with a dedicated case coach from NC’s faculty and staff to prepare for their specific event. Preparation involved regular meetings with coaches and partners, often two to three times per week, leading up to the competition.

“Students learn many valuable skills as part of the preparation leading up to the competition as well as during the competition,” said School of Business Management Professor, Terri Champion, who has been coaching NC students in marketing competitions for more than 20 years. “Coaching focuses on showing students how their academic learning can be applied to real-life business situations.”

Champion highlighted the transformative nature of the experience on students each year.

“Over time, students build confidence, improve their problem-solving and decision-making skills, and learn how to effectively communicate their ideas,” she said. “The competition tests their analytical skills, creativity, and presentation abilities.”

Several NC students  were recognized for individual achievements, contributing to the College’s overall success:

• First place, Entrepreneurship Case: Nikayla Poirier and Isabella Chavez Chicas (second-year Sales and Marketing)
• First place, Job Interview: David Dioszegi (second-year Business Administration – Marketing)
• First place, International Marketing Case: Gabriel Alles and Alex Enriquez (second-year Sales and Marketing)
• Second place, Integrated Marketing Communications Case: Jill Kosior and Elora Burgess-Morrison (third-year Business Administration – Marketing)
• Second place, Sales Presentation: Jill Kosior
• Second place, Advanced Marketing Case; fourth place, Retail Case; fifth place, Direct Marketing Case: Dario Spiteri and Brooklyn Balanowski (third-year Business Administration – Marketing)
• Fifth place, Market Research Case: David Dioszegi and Russell Yap (second-year Sales and Marketing)

For second-year Sales and Marketing student Gabriel Alles, who placed first in the International Marketing Case alongside Alex Enriquez, the competition enriched his educational experience.

“The competition allowed me to apply what I learned in the classroom and helped me improve skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and communication,” said Alles. “These are skills that will help me excel in my future marketing career. NC’s Sales and Marketing program, combined with the OCMC competition experience, have given me valuable skills to help me reach that goal. They have also made me more prepared to tackle challenges and work on creative solutions, as well as boosting my overall confidence.”

Second-year Sales and Marketing student Isabella Chavez Chicas was overwhelmed with emotion when placing first in the Entrepreneurship Case with her partner Nikayla Poirier.

“My partner Nikayla and I have come such a long way since our first presentation and being able to accomplish something so meaningful together was extremely emotional, especially with the whole team cheering us on as we walked on stage to receive the award,” said Chavez Chicas. “This was my first time competing in anything like this, and all I can say now is that I can’t wait for the next opportunity to be in that sort of setting.”

Chavez Chicas encourages other NC students to participate and embrace the transformative experience the competition offers, supported by the valuable training and mentorship from NC coaches.

“OCMC was a fun and exciting experience that I wish more students could participate in, as it truly gave me the confidence boost I needed to keep pursuing my goals,” she said. “I believe this experience really opened my eyes to how doing something you love won’t feel like work; it will be enjoyable. All those late nights practicing my presentations and reworking PowerPoint slides really paid off in the long run. I now have faith in myself to pitch ideas, express myself professionally, and showcase my knowledge.”

NC’s 2024 OCMC team also included students Maeve Asselstine (second-year Sales and Marketing), Holly Aubry (second-year General Business), Kevin Henderson (third-year Business Administration – Marketing), and Dwight Macphee (second-year Sales and Marketing).

For more details about OCMC, visit ocmc.ca. For information about Niagara College’s School of Business and Management, visit niagaracollege.ca/business.