Nearly two-thirds of Northwood University’s DECA membership have qualified for international competition following last month’s Michigan Collegiate DECA State Career Development Conference in Kalamazoo.
“Northwood may be one of Michigan’s smallest colleges with a DECA chapter, but we can go toe-to-toe with any post-secondary institution in the country,” stated Advisor Patrick McElgunn, who also serves as the director of the NU Idea Center in downtown Midland. “Year after year, Northwood DECA students raise the bar and set the standard for our state. Division and school size means nothing — our Northwood students have the knowledge, drive, passion and classroom education to be competitive forces.”
McElgunn noted this year’s state competition was the largest conference in over 40 years. Whereas Northwood has averaged about 50% of its DECA students qualifying for international competition, this year, nearly two-thirds qualified to compete at the international conference, which will be held next month in Austin, Texas.
During the state competition in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Northwood DECA students competed in several different events against students from Central Michigan University, Cleary University, Delta College, Eastern Michigan University, Kettering University, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University and Western Michigan University.
Northwood had seven finalists in the state competition, along 17 members qualified for the international conference. They include:
• Peyton Loriaux of Holly (Entrepreneurship Operations Finalist)
• Dylan Markovic of Holland (Entrepreneurship Operations Finalist)
• Wilson Bragg of Gladwin (No. 1 in Financial Accounting)
• Olivia Agnew of Fraser (No. 3 in Marketing Management)
• Mitchell Boggs of Loveland, Ohio (Finalist in Marketing Management)
• Clayton Scott of Grayling (No. 2 in Sales Management and Leadership)
• Piper Barnhart of Brownstown Township (Finalist in Sales Management and Leadership)
• Charlee Simanskey of Midland and Molly Dickenson of Alpena (No. 3 in Business Ethics Team Event)
• Wilson Bragg of Gladwin and Gavin Wargel of Alanson (No. 2 in Business to Business Marketing Team Event)
• Sophia Schlatterbeck of Livonia and Andrew Coveyou of Petoskey (No. 1 in Marketing Communications Team Event)
• Austin Leverage of Lebanon, Ohio and Alexander Nazarian of Shelby Township (No. 2 in Marketing Communications Team Event)
• Jenna Houserman of Houghton Lake and Carlee Scoviac of Port Austin (Marketing Communications Team Event Finalists)
• Lauren Waiss of Sturtevant, Wisconsin (No. 1 in Advertising Campaign)
• Reagan Coffey of Pickerington, Ohio (No. 3 in Advertising Campaign)
• Jessica Bromberg of Pinconning (No. 1 in Business Research)
• Lila Bolden, Petoskey, and Emma Balsinger of Boyne Falls (No. 2 in Business Research)
• Mackenzie Carter of Leonard (No. 3 in Digital Marketing Strategies)
• Sophia Schlatterbeck of Livonia (No. 2 in Professional Sales)
• Evan Baker of Jenison (Professional Sales Finalist)
“I know our students are excited to not just compete, but to win at this year’s International Career Development Conference,” McElgunn stated. “It’s going to be an exciting way to end the school year, that’s for sure!”
