January 27, 2012
by Julie Phillips
Haskayne undergraduate students represented the University of Calgary at the 2012 JDC West competition in Edmonton, AB earlier this month, bringing home a total of 10 awards including their first gold in the competition, runner-up for Innovator of the Year, and 3rd place School of the Year for their overall performance. Not bad for a team sending their first full delegation to this annual competition of charity, athletics, social activities, and academics.
“The team really blew away the expectations the co-captains and I had set out”, says Cam Welsh, MIS Instructor and JDC West Team Haskayne faculty advisor and coach who won Faculty of the Year at this year’s competition. “All of our students performed exceptional well and many had the best presentations I have seen so far. Team Haskayne 2012 did the School and the University proud.”
In 2011, the team sent a half delegation to the competition in Saskatoon while this year, Team Haskayne sent a full delegation of close to 50 students to compete.
“The reward of seeing each student on the team grow is what drew me back to coach the team again this year,” says Welsh, who sees huge growth in confidence, public speaking, and critical thinking skills in each of the students on the team in the four months leading up to the competition and after they compete.
JDC West is the largest student-run business competition in Western Canada. Nearly 600 students from 11 of Western Canada’s top universities unite annually to compete in this competition, which is organized by and for business students. Teams compete in academic and athletic challenges, a social competition, a parliamentary-style debate, and a charity initiative during this three-day event.
“In my four and a half years at the University of Calgary, I have never been so proud and felt more school spirit than at this competition,” says Vanessa Thain, a Haskayne undergraduate student and JDC West co-captain. “The experience of representing Haskayne in swag and in cheers makes you feel so proud to represent Haskayne.”
The lead up started last March with a number of information sessions. In September, Vanessa and co-captain David Botham along with coach Cam Welsh started interviewing students for the team and deciding where to place them in the roster. From mid-October to December, the team held practice for each of the ten academic teams every weekend. In December, all the teams kicked into full gear - connecting for a minimum of three practices attended. Team members also participated in two mock competitions, one in November and one in January, with many alumni and industry professionals playing the role of judges.
“What you learn going through JDC West will help with your career aspirations, regardless of what they are,” says Thain. “I highly recommend the competition to any business student who wants to make an impact on their school, community, and develop friendships and networks that will last for years.”
Find out more about JDC West 2012.
Find out how to join the 2012/13 Haskayne JDC West team.
Haskayne’s JDC West 2012 Results
|
Competition |
Award |
Team Members |
|
Overall School of the Year |
3rd |
|
|
Academic School of the Year |
3rd |
|
|
Faculty Advisor of the Year |
|
Cam Welsh |
|
Innovator of the Year |
Runner-up |
|
|
Business Strategy |
1st |
Andrea Heckbert, Mahrukh Tahir, Sean Keown |
|
Finance |
2nd |
Maddie Quinlan, Iris Wong, Max Moore |
|
Entrepreneurship |
3rd |
Stephanie Towns, Jaspreet Pandher, Lucas McCarth y |
|
International Business |
3rd |
Jill Thorlacius, Carmen Chiu, Jedd Matechuk |
|
MIS |
3rd |
Carol Yan, Duncan To, Alex Ste-Marie |
|
Marketing |
3rd |
Sanja Avaramovic, Jason Mack, James Kurczaba |
|
Not for Profit |
3rd |
Brittany Humphry, Inge Makins, Daniell Hart |
|
Debate |
4th |
Jackie McKinley, Preethi Ganesan, Naveenaa Saravana Kumaa, Zack Little |
Haskayne Team Members
Co-Captains
Vanessa Thain
David Botham
Faculty Advisor
Cameron Welsh
Godparent
Lucibelle Tan
Academic
Accounting
Carolyn Parker
Tara Rooprai
Keaton Sulz
Business Strategy
Mahrukh Tahir
Andrea Heckbert
Sean Keown
Entrepreneurship
Stephanie Towns
Jaspreet Pahdher
Lucas McCarthy
Finance
Maddie Quinlan
Iris Wong
Max Moore
Human Resources
Jessica Allardyce
Jordan Ludwig
Amanda Soulsby
International Business
Carmen Chiu
Jill Thorlacius
Jedd Matechuk
Management Information Systems
Alexandre Ste-Marie
Duncan To
Carol Yan
Marketing
Sanja Avramovic
Jason Mack
James Kurczaba
Not-For-Profit Business Strategy
Daniell Hart
Brittany Humphry
Igne Makins
Taxation
Jasmine Cheung
Muna Haji
Surya Rana
Athletics
Stefani Narfason
Brian Osiowy
James Karperian
Taylor Crossley
Jennifer Seto
Josh Venderleest
Sunjeet Kullar
Kerstyn Yates
Debate
Preethi Ganesan
Jackie McKinley
Naveenaa Kumar
Zach Little
Social
Erin Langill
John Stebbing
Larkin Cook
Sarah Kosowan
