Eleven podium finishes cement Lazaridis School's dominant position at this year's JDCC

Feb. 5, 2021

The Jeux du Commerce Central (JDCC) is widely regarded as one of the most complex and challenging case competition series’ in Canada, engaging and testing the talents of the best business school students since 2009.

Over the years, the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University has racked up more podium finishes than any other business school in their division, earning a reputation for competitive excellence that appeals to current and future Golden Hawks alike.

“No other university has come close to the length of time that we have retained a spot on the podium for the top two awards,” says JDCC faculty advisor Sofy Carayannopoulos, associate professor of Policy. “This is a reflection of the dedication and energy our teams bring to this competition – it’s inspiring to see their hard work pay off, especially under this year’s challenging circumstances.”

Kyle Collins (BBA ’20) and Katarina Granic (BBA ’21) served as team captains in this year’s competition, helping guide their fellow students through the hours of weekly preparation over the last six months.

Granic has been participating in business case competitions since high school, and tributes Laurier’s strong community feel as part of the reason why the university succeeds so often.

“Laurier is small relative to other institutions and enables us to connect with students and faculty more intimately. Throughout my four years here, I have been fortunate enough to be involved in the student community, feel supported by my institution, connect with award-winning faculty, and build lasting friendships. University can make you feel as though you are just a number, but Laurier made me feel like I was part of the community.”

After the stress of preparation and elation of performing well has worn off, what remains is a new set of skills that set competitors up for future success in their careers.

Collins credits his years of competing in case competitions for honing the professional skills he’ll need to convey confidence and ability in the working world.

“They allow you to develop your critical thinking and presentation abilities beyond the classroom. Prior to my involvement in case competitions, I would stutter, talk too fast, use ‘umm and uhh’ too often, and was generally not a great presenter. Seeing how far I, and others, have developed is something that inspired me to continue to compete.”

Both captains, and many other students over the years, credit “Coach Sofy” as another source of inspiration. “The amount of passion and dedication she exhibits to the team and her students certainly inspired me to push myself out of my comfort zone and compete on the team,” adds Collins.

If you thrive on healthy competition, enjoy finding creative and thought-provoking solutions to problems, and building comradery on a great team, joining the JDCC Laurier team might be for you.

2020/2021 JDCC Results: Lazaridis School of Business & Economics

School of the Year: Second place

(DeGroote School of Business at McMaster - 1st; John Molson School of Business at Concordia - 3rd)

Academic Cup: Second place

(Schulich School of Business at York - 1st; DeGroote School of Business at McMaster - 3rd)

Charity dollars raised: First place

Consulting project: (a new addition this year) Third place

Esports: (pivot from physical) 3v3 - Second place, 4v4 - Third place

Accounting: First place

Entrepreneurship: Third place

Business strategy: First place

Human resources: Second place

Participation: (reflects engagement with competition sponsors and other teams): First place

Sportsmanship: First place