March 1, 2024
College of Business Administration students compete in Tenaska Business Challenge
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From left: Julia Robbe, Samuel Manus, Mira Bilgili, Silvia Rui Diaz and Emily Hug De Belmont Brugada. |
Students from the College of Business Administration recently traveled to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the 2024 Tenaska Business Challenge, a multi-university case competition that "challenges students to solve real problems through interdisciplinary solutions."
The case was developed by the sponsors of the competition — Tenaska, a large U.S. private company operating in the energy industry. Students had only two days to come up with a solution to the evolving energy needs of a growing land-grant university. This year, 17 teams from 14 universities took on the challenge.
Members of the K-State team were Emily Hug De Belmont Brugada, organizational management; Julia Robbe, organizational management; Samuel Manus, entrepreneurship; and Silvia Rui Diaz, marketing. Mira Bilgili, assistant professor of management, served as the team's faculty advisor and offered support and guidance to the team.
"Each of the students contributed valuable and diverse knowledge and skills that culminated in the development of an innovative solution to the problem," said Bilgili. "While the team may not have finished among the top three teams, their creativity, hard work, and forward thinking stood out. Their proposed solution balanced the practicality of addressing the university's current needs with a commitment to sustainability and minimizing harm to the environment. Simultaneously, they set the stage for future expansion with their comprehensive and forward-thinking solution. Their recommendations not only showcased their innovative and critical thinking skills, but also their ability to collaborate effectively under time pressure."
Learn more about the College of Business Administration and the experiential learning opportunities offered.