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Case in Point

Business Solutions Competition – April 10, 2024 Case in Point

Case in Point Competition Champions
Challenge your skills

Case in Point Business Solutions Competition

The Sentry School of Business and Economics has found a client with a pressing business challenge. At the kick-off meeting, you will meet the client and hear about its problem. A month later, the teams will pitch their solutions to judges  and prizes will be awarded for the best presentations.

Win or lose, you will have fun while building your creative-thinking and problem-solving skills. Plus, you’ll have an awesome resume booster that will set you apart!

2024 Results + Photos Kickoff Event Photos News Release Think Like an Entrepreneur program

Prize Money

$2,500
1st Place Team
$1,500
2nd Place Team
$1,000
3rd Place Team
Case in Point Competition

How it works

  • Open to all UWSP undergraduate students: all majors, freshman to senior
  • Apply as an individual
  • Teams of 4-5 students will be formed based on skills
  • Coaches will guide teams through the problem-solving process
  • Limited to 30 students
  • March 6 Kickoff Dinner counts as a bonus Smiley Professonal Event (advanced networking)
  • April 10 Case in Point Competition counts as a bonus Smiley Professional Event

Competition Timeline

Team members will have weekly one-hour meetings with their coaches plus work independently on research and preparation.

2/26

Application Deadline (8 a.m.)

3/1

Accepted applicants notified by email

3/6

Kickoff Dinner at The Inn at SentryWorld (5:30-8 p.m.)

4/10

Case in Point Competition, Dreyfus University Center Alumni Room (5:30-8 p.m.)

The Teams

Case in Point Team: Reed 'em and Weep

Reed ’em and Weep

Coach Reed Stratton

David Kaminski
Anthony Spatoulas
Kody Hellenbrand
Nathan Sankey
Avery Koepsell
Meet the Team
Case in Point Team: To Be Continued

To Be Continued

Coach Mikkalyn Hafner

Brooke Peterson
Haley Densow
Savana Hurlbutt
Arianna Bartoli
Anthony Eiden
Meet the Team
Case in Point Team: Case Closed

Case Closed

Coach Tim McKeough

Stacie Groser
Angelica Stahl
Alex Suscha
Josh Heuss
Meet the Team
Case in Point Team: Patrick's Stars

Patrick’s Stars

Coach Patrick Gatterman

Michael Brierton
Kylee Houfe
Jadyn Clarner
Sara Haroldsen
Daniel Harris
Meet the Team
Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitor Bureau
Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitor Bureau

Meet the client and challenge

Did you know? Tourism contributed approximately $245.9 million to our local economy in 2022. The Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau represents and promotes all of Portage County, creating a positive economic impact and enhancing the area’s quality of life.

By joining the SPACVB’s Partners in Tourism program, local businesses can be included in the Visitors Guide and other print and digital promotions. Partnership fees currently contribute 9% of the SPACVB’s annual income.

For the past month, students have been working on the challenge posed by the SPACVB: How might our organization increase revenue from our partnership program, thereby diversifying our income stream?

The students have analyzed this challenge using Design Thinking, an innovative approach that emphasizes understanding the user’s or customer’s priorities and needs through interviews and observations.

By participating in Case in Point, the students have gained valuable experience while helping to improve our community. At the same time, the students have built key skills associated with an entrepreneurial mindset: creativity, problem-solving and teamwork.

Visit Stevens Point
“What an amazing group of students. Thank you for your thoughtful and intentional work. I can’t wait to take these ideas back to our staff and board!”
Sara Brish — Executive Director, Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
“These students are proof that our future is bright! Thoughtful, creative and professional presentations – a truly awesome job by all!”
Scott Steele — Judge, Church Mutual
“Outstanding job by all the teams in this competition. We are blessed to have a top tier university like UWSP in our community that invests and cares about their student’s professional development. Go Pointers!”
Javier Sotelo — Judge, Sentry
“Hats off to UW~Stevens Point, the coaches and faculty for continuing to provide fantastic opportunities to the students. And hats off to all the students who leaned into the opportunity!”
Rebecca Knutson — Judge, Aspirus

The Judges

Brian Hicks
Skyward

Brian Hicks

Systems Manager

LinkedIn
Rebecca Knutson
Aspirus

Rebecca Knutson

VP System Talent Management

LinkedIn
Javier Sotelo
Sentry

Javier Sotelo

Sr. Director of Talent

LinkedIn
Scott Steele
Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.

Scott Steele

Chief Marketing Officer, Retired

LinkedIn
Case in Point Competition

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for Case in Point, follow these steps: 

  • Read “The Dream Team: Hipster, Hacker, Hustler, and Hound”
  • Attach the following materials to an email to proevents@uwsp.edu
    • A Word document responding to these questions:
      1. What unique aspects about your personality, your background, your skills, and/or your ability would add value to a team in this competition?
      2. On a scale of 1-5, rate your skills as a “Hipster”  and explain why.
      3. On a scale of 1-5, rate your skills as a “Hacker” and explain why.
      4. On a scale of 1-5, rate your skills as a “Hustler” and explain why.
      5. On a scale of 1-5, rate your skills as a “Hound” and explain why.
    • Resume: Strong candidates will highlight experiences in starting new ventures, conducting research, participating in business competitions, solving workplace problems, and/or delivering presentations.
  • Applications due by 8 a.m., Monday, Feb. 26.
“From start to finish, I was able to learn a lot about problem solving but also creative thinking. Can’t wait to do it again next year!”
Anthony Spatoulas — 2024 Student Winner
“I am so greaful that I had the chance to be part of this competition! I learned so much from it and felt so empowered by it! Receiving the second place with my team was a great honor and an awesome result from all the work we put in as a team! ”
Arianna Bartoli — 2024 Student Participant
“This was an amazing opportunity and I’m forever grateful for the professional experience along with the learning experience.”
Angelica Stahl — 2024 Student Participant
“The competition was steep but our team came out on top, gaining great professional experience and skills along with generous scholarships from the generousity of Mark and Julie Smiley.”
Nathan Sankey — 2024 Student Winner
“While my team didn’t come out on top, I learned so much from this competition and made a ton of great connections.”
Brooke Peterson — 2024 Student Participant

Sponsors

Our donors help us provide unique experiences for our students and bring valuable expertise to our programs. This support gives our students the skills to excel. In the Sentry School of Business and Economics our donors truly do make a difference!

Mark and Julie Smiley met while attending UW-Stevens Point in the early 1980s. Mark is a 1985 business administration alumnus and Julie is a 1987 communication alumna. Since their time at UWSP, the Smileys settled in Baraboo and founded a manufacturing company headquartered in Port Washington called Badger Paperboard Inc., which continues to grow and expand to new locations throughout the U.S. Mark and Julie also raised a daughter and a son, both of whom now take active leadership roles in the family business.

Mark traveled back to Stevens Point to participate in a School of Business and Economics alumni panel discussion in 2014 as part of what is now known as the Smiley Professional Events. Since then, Mark and Julie have established two UWSP scholarships in business and communication as well as a program fund to support a variety of student opportunities relating to soft-skill development and professionalism.

School of Business and Economics Mark and Julie Smiley

Contact Us

Elizabeth Martin

Elizabeth Martin

  • Professor – Business
  • Director – Anderson Classroom to Career Center
  • Director – Sentry School of Business and Economics Student Engagement Program
715-346-4303
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Carie Winn

Carie Winn

  • Outreach Specialist and Operations Manager – Sentry School of Business and Economics Anderson Classroom to Career (C2C) Center
  • Major Gifts Officer – Sentry School of Business and Economics
715-346-2448
View profile
Sentry School of Business and Economics reserves the right to adjust Case in Point guidelines as needed.