More than 20 teams of high school students from across the country participated in the 2016 National Black MBA Association® (NBMBAA®) Leaders of Tomorrow® (LOT®) National Business Case Competition, which was held on the campus of Southern Methodist University on Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25.
First place honors went to the Dallas, Texas Leaders of Tomorrow team, the host chapter for this year's competition. The team will split $15,000 in scholarship money, and Delta Air Lines, a competition sponsor, also gifted the team with $500 travel vouchers for each of its members. Second place was awarded to the New Jersey chapter winning $10,000 in scholarship money, and third place title was awarded to the Philadelphia Chapter who took home $5,000 in scholarship money.
During the competition high school students analyzed business cases and presented strategic recommendations before a panel of esteemed judges that evaluated participants with the same level of objectivity used for graduate students or professional consultants.
“We are extremely proud of all of the participants at this year’s National Business Case Competition who worked hard and delivered some impressive presentations, and congratulations to our Champions from the Dallas chapter,” said Jesse Tyson, President & CEO, NBMBAA®.
“The LOT® program has created life-changing opportunities for minority students, and we are committed to securing as much support as possible for the LOT® Endowment to continue to provide them with scholarships and resources.”
In preparation for the intense competition, the four or five-member teams worked for months with a dedicated, local mentors who coached them about topics such as financial analysis, marketing, organizational analysis, implementation and plan design, and presentation skills. LOT® mentors also help prepare the students for college and careers through academic support, professional development, public speaking, coaching and networking.
NBMBAA® congratulates all teams that took part in the competition. Participating students represented over 20 cities. Competing teams represented numerous NBMBAA® LOT® chapters, including: Atlanta; Boston; Central Florida; Chicago; Cleveland; Columbus; Dallas; Greater Harrisburg; Greater Hartford; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City; Louisville; New Jersey; Philadelphia; Raleigh-Durham; St. Louis; Tampa; Toronto; Twin Cities; and Washington, DC.
For more information about NBMBAA®, please visit www.nbmbaa.org.
About National Black MBA Association®
NBMBAA® is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) professional member-based organization which leads in the creation of educational and career opportunities for black professionals. Established in 1970, the association is dedicated to developing partnerships that result in the creation of intellectual and economic wealth in the black community. In partnership with more than 300 of the country’s top business organizations, the association has inroads into a wide range of industries as well as the public and private sector.
