Front Row (L to R): Julia Kohls, Mayville, N.D.; Cora Johnson, Mayville, N.D.; Samantha Passa, Barnesville, Minn.; Ellie Reierson, Frazee, Minn.; Jamison Zaun, Wahpeton, N.D.; McKinley Kartes, West Fargo, N.D.; and Jenna Jarvey, Grand Forks, N.D.
Second Row: Cole Dukart, Killdeer, N.D.; Lauryn Wolfgram, Thompson, N.D.; Miriam Carignan, Walhalla, N.D.; Dallas Jorgensen, Hatton, N.D.; Kaitlynn Thompson, Hatton, N.D.; Logan Maus, Thompson, N.D.; and Advisor Rob Johnston.
Back Row: Advisor Dustin Olson; Ben Johnson, Mayville, N.D.; Sam Grayson, Ipswich, Australia; Sam Preston, Hillsboro, N.D.; and Logan Hoff, Richardton, N.D.
April 26, 2022
Seven of the 17 Mayville State University Collegiate DECA students who participated in the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Baltimore, Maryland April 9 through 12 made it to the final round of competition. The annual international conference provides the opportunity for students to compete against others from all over the world in business-specific events. MSU students had to qualify at the state competition held in Fargo, N.D. this past February in order to participate in Baltimore.
“This is the first international in-person competition since April of 2019 because of the COVID pandemic,” said Mayville State Collegiate DECA Advisor Rob Johnston. “Only two of our 17 members on this year’s team had international competition experience.”
Rookie Mayville State Collegiate DECA members Samantha Passa, Barnesville, Minn., and Ellie Reierson, Frazee, Minn., placed third in the world in the Business Ethics competition. Other Top 10 finishers from Mayville State were Cole Dukart, Killdeer, N.D.; Ben Johnson, Mayville, N.D.; Julia Kohls, Mayville, N.D.; Miriam Carignan, Walhalla, N.D.; and Lauryn Wolfgram, Thompson, N.D.
“Our students were really hungry to prove Mayville State can really compete against bigger schools like UC Berkeley, UNLV, University of Minnesota, and Texas Tech University,” said Johnston. “With seven students in the top ten and Sam and Ellie placing third in the world, the results speak for themselves. They did an excellent job!”
The MSU team was one of eighteen chapters worldwide to receive the Chapter Leadership Passport Award. There are about 200 Collegiate DECA chapters in the world.
Nineteen MSU students were recognized with the Individual Leadership Passport Award during the opening ceremony of the (ICDC) at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. Only 102 of the nearly 5,000 Collegiate DECA students worldwide were recognized. Mayville State had more students recognized than any other college or university in the world.
The Collegiate DECA Leadership Passport Program encourages local chapters and individual members to plan activities and participate in events that enhance the experiences of members. The leadership passport rewards action taken by members and chapters to build personal and professional skill sets focused around the organization’s four attributes and values: competence, innovation, integrity, and teamwork.
Collegiate DECA’s overlying mission is to “prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.”
MSU Collegiate DECA is open to students in all majors. Students spend many hours fundraising but also receive generous support from the “After Hours” social events organized by the Division of Business.
“As a chapter, we send our most sincere ‘thank you’ for all of the support that has been given to our organization,” said Rob Johnston. “Without this help, our students would not have been able to take part in the great learning opportunity that is ICDC.”
Results from the competitions are as follows:
Business Ethics
Samantha Passa & Ellie Reierson - 3rd Place
Financial Statement Analysis
Cole Dukart & Ben Johnson - Top 10 Finalist
Business Research
Julia Kohls & Miriam Carignan - Top 10 Finalist
Financial Accounting
Lauryn Wolfgram - Top 10 Finalist
Photo Captions:
Top: Samantha Passa and Ellie Reierson.
Second: Julia Kohls and Miriam Carignan.
Third: Lauryn Wolfgram.
Bottom: Ben Johnson and Cole Dukart.