News Article

College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) 709 Solutions Case team, made up of students enrolled through the Office of Distributed Learning, participated in the Vanier College BDC Case Challenge Feb. 8-9 in Montreal, QC.
 
709 Solutions was one of 33 teams from across Canada vying for a place in the final six spots in the BDC Challenge, and after a strong showing in the national competition they made it made it to the championship round.
 
Coach Tina Dean of Grand Falls-Windsor says she was proud of her team for placing third in CNA’s competition last month, but was ecstatic when they advanced to the final round on the national stage, taking home one of 12 Scotiabank Awards in the process. The Scotiabank Awards were presented to the 12 teams who took top honours in round one.
 
“To take the team to Montreal to compete on the national stage was an amazing opportunity,” said Dean. “We have been told that this is a tough competition with very high calibre presenters and they only got one shot at making an impression.” 
 
709 Solutions is made up of three distributed learning students, Mallory Yates and Courtney Vivian of Gander and Jessica Yetman of St. John’s. Dean and fellow coach Lisa Skinner of Paradise, were like “two worried moms” during the event.
 
“We prepared them, we gave them the tools, and we grilled them with questions during practices. We knew they could make an impression and we hoped for a good show but either way, we were so proud of them for making it as far as they did.”
 
As the team made their presentation to the judges, Dean felt she had witnessed something special. 
 
“I knew they had done well, but when three out of the five judges directly complimented them during question period, I got goose bumps.”
 
While she was hoping the team would place in the top four in their division, when the standings were announced at the gala she was thrilled to learn they had advanced.
 
“At the gala the divisional standings are announced with the third and fourth teams for each of the three divisions. CNA was not mentioned and we accepted our defeat.  We continued congratulating the other teams around us on their accomplishments.”
 
However, when the finalists were announced, CNA was in the top two slots for division three.
 
“Apparently, the looks on our faces were priceless! We were in shock to say the least. We were now the first team from CNA to place at this competition and we made it to the finals. Making it to the top six of 33 teams has put a smile on my face that will remain there until next year’s provincial competition,” Dean said.
 
“As an instructor, moments like this just validate all of the hard work and effort of the coaches and students who take on the challenge of entering this process.  Going beyond the classroom can allow your job to become so much more rewarding. Seeing my students grow this confidence that allows them to compete on the national stage where they only have three hours to decipher a case, develop a marketing campaign and then defend their choices to a panel of judges is indescribable.”
 
These sentiments are echoed by her coaching counterpart.
 
“What a wonderful learning experience this past weekend was for the students.  As an educator, the opportunity to see the students take the skills they have acquired in the business program and apply them in this competition was extremely rewarding,” Skinner said.
 
“For me personally, the chance to network with other educators from across the country was extremely valuable. I cannot express how proud I am of Courtney, Mallory and Jessica. They showed such professionalism and worked so hard to achieve all that they have. I have grown extremely close to this team and I look forward to working with them again next year.”
 
Yates feels the competition was an amazing opportunity for students to build on their presentation and business skills.
 
“The most memorable moment was definitely when we were announced as second in our division, meaning we would move on to the finals. We were sure that we hadn’t placed, so the looks on my teammates’ and coaches’ faces were amazing when we were announced,” said Yates.
 
“This experience will certainly help me in my future, not only through the experience and the knowledge that I have gained through this competition but also through the higher level of self-confidence that I have been able to build while participating in such an event. I know that if I ever face a problem I have to tools and knowledge to solve it in a realistic way.”
 
Vivian says it was an unbelievable experience – one with tremendous networking opportunities.
 
“Being able to meet and interact with students from all across our country was phenomenal,” said Vivian. “We went into the competition just to gain the experience, and just three Distributed Learning students who met three weeks ago managed to make the finals. This will help me in the future with my problem solving skills. Whatever company I work for, I know I will be an asset, all thanks to the intense competitions I've participated in.”
 
Yetman says she has taken away a lot from the competition.
 
“It was an incredible experience,” she said. “Both for the present and future success of all students involved. I truly believe this competition will be a major contributor in our potential success upon graduation of our programs. I now feel I have the confidence to address and handle whatever I am challenged with in a logical and professional manner.”
 
Mary Vaughan, CNA’s Dean of Business and Information Technology, says the member of 709 Solutions have reason to be proud.
 
“The Distributed Learning students performed on the national stage with exceptional skill and ability,” said Vaughan. “Congratulations to 709 Solutions for being presented with the 2014 Scotiabank Award. We are so proud of how the students represented CNA, and our province.”

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Media Contact:
 
Glenda McCarthy
Public Relations Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.6408
glenda.mccarthy@cna.nl.ca