A team of Full-Time MBA students from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business claimed first place at the 12th annual Southeastern Conference MBA Case Competition, where Nissan served as this year’s case client and campus sponsor. The prestigious event, hosted by Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management in Nashville, featured intense competition among top business schools. The University of Texas at Austin secured second place, followed by Texas A&M University in third and the University of Arkansas in fourth. This marks Haslam’s second SEC MBA Case Competition victory, with their previous win in 2022.
A Win Based on Preperation
With the victory, team members William Adams, Haley Aud, Nathan Fink and Lili Anne McClanahan brought the competition trophy home to Rocky Top and received a $10,000 prize. Fink was also recognized as a Best Q&A Winner in the competition, receiving $250. Randy Bradley, associate professor in supply chain management, and MBA student Janet Oyewumi served as the team’s advisors.
“We are so excited to bring home the win,” said Aud, a first-year MBA student. “We spent two weeks conducting industry research, Nissan research and discovering how innovative and amazing Nissan is. It means a lot to us to earn this victory. We’re happy to make our advisor proud and represent Tennessee so well.”
Laura Williams, director of student services for Haslam’s Full-Time MBA Program, called the win especially impressive given the level of competition.
“They were definitely up for the challenge,” she said. “They carried through with their research and preparation, determined to recapture that SEC trophy. Everyone in the Full-Time MBA program is bursting with pride for them.”
Hands-on Learning Through Competition
The SEC MBA Case Competition, established in 2013, provides opportunities for SEC business school students to showcase their skills at solving simulated, real-world problems faced by a large corporation.
The teams had approximately 24 hours to prepare their recommended solutions and present them to company executives in divisional and final rounds of competition. Nissan executives considered each presentation, identifying four teams to advance to the finals and ultimately ranking the final four teams. The students’ identities and university affiliations were kept anonymous to the judges to ensure the contest’s impartiality.
Although team advisors were not able to communicate with their students once the case was presented, they observed the presentations and offered support after the competition concluded.
“It’s fascinating, exciting and exhilarating all at the same time,” Bradley said. “Seeing the work they’ve been putting in since the fall semester come to fruition as a cohesive effort, being part of different teams and watching them understand what a company needs — then rise to the occasion to provide not just a solution, but something feasible and impactful — that’s what the SEC is all about.”
A Respected Mentor’s Victorious Sendoff
Bradley is departing Haslam at the end of the semester to join Belmont University as the new dean of its Jack C. Massey College of Business, and the team members and Oyewumi issued a statement to express their appreciation for his mentorship:
“Working closely with Dr. Bradley has been an invaluable experience that has shaped us as students, presenters and individuals,” the statement reads. “His dedication to our growth goes far beyond the classroom — whether it was late-night Zoom calls refining case recommendations or traveling with us to competitions, his commitment never wavered. Dr. Bradley’s selflessness and passion for this program have left a lasting impact on each of us. As he prepares for his next chapter, we are incredibly grateful for his guidance, support and the standard of excellence he has set. Thank you, Dr. Bradley, for everything — you will always be a part of this team’s success. We will carry the lessons learned from you throughout our careers and lives. We wish you the best in your next endeavor!”
Main photo, L-R: William Adams, Haley Aud, Lili Anne McClanahan, Nathan Fink
Photo credit: SECSports.com
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Scott McNutt, senior business writer/publicist, [email protected]
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