Two Okanagan College students from Vernon have returned from one of Canada’s most prestigious international business competitions knowing they are among the best in the country.
Jared Hubner, a third-year bachelor of business administration student at the Vernon campus, joined forces with Anthony Peterson, a fourth-year BBA student, to compete in the finals of the management of information systems category at the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition in Kingston, Ont.
They placed second in the competition and competed against finalists from the University of Vermont, Laurentian University, Sheridan College, Wilfred Laurier University and the University of Calgary. Teams were given five-and-a-half hours to review and present recommendations on a case that involved a hypothetical university looking to sell and distribute online learning materials, prevent content piracy, and provide secure e‑commerce transactions. Vermont won the competition.
The OC team tackled the problem by suggesting a new business-to-business subscription-based service model that could have real-world benefit.
“We came up with an out-of-the-box answer, and I think we had the confidence to do that based on the experience we’ve gained in the classroom," said Huber.
“We have tremendous support from our coaches. We came into the event feeling prepared thanks to them, and that was a huge factor in our success," added Peterson.
Hubner says the fact that they faced strong competition in the category added to the pressure and the feeling of accomplishment when results were announced.
“It was an amazing feeling. It was very hard to process and contain the level of excitement and the feeling of accomplishment afterward," he said.
Held annually in Kingston, the event hosts more than 100 competitors from leading business schools across Canada and around the world.
"I came away very inspired. It was an experience that will serve me well throughout the rest of my studies and my career," said Peterson.