Lazaridis students take second-place at HRPA case competition

April 12, 2023

Congratulations to fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students, Micayah Coutinho, Suhavi Garg, and Victoria Talvitie from the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, for taking second place in the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) Student Case Competition.

This year marks the fourth-annual event which hosted 18 teams from educational institutions across Ontario. Hosted virtually, the two-day competition engages HR students and challenges them with real-life business and HR situations.

Faculty advisor, Associate Professor Steve Risavy, said of working with the team, “I could not have been more impressed by these three students! At a busy time in the semester, they volunteered their time to engage in this competition. I would have been proud of them just for participating, but to see them place second in the province while competing against the largest number of teams ever competing in this competition is truly exceptional! We are so lucky to have such motivated, engaged, and professional students at our school.”

Congratulations again Micayah, Suhavi, and Victoria. We were able to hear from them directly to learn more about their experience in the competition. Read more below:

What was the role of the faculty advisor or coach and how did they help your team prepare?

Prof. Risavy provided us with tremendous support throughout the process, and his reassuring presence helped keep us calm and focused on the fact that this was a learning experience. He kept us well-informed regarding all the necessary details about the case competition and even facilitated a few team meetings to allow us to practice and refine our approach before the event.

Tell us about the case questions. What concepts were you exploring? What solutions did you present?

The case questions were about identifying and accommodating neurodiversity in a unionized workplace. Our solution was to introduce an e-learning module with a discussion component and update the company policy to include the Human Rights Code and Duty to Accommodate.

Where was the competition held, and what other schools did you compete against?

The competition was held online. We were one of 18 teams, the other schools included Trent University, George Brown College, Niagara College, University of Windsor, Sheridan, Seneca, Humber, Fanshawe, amongst others.

How did you get involved in competing in case competitions? What interested you and/or who inspired you to join the Laurier Case Team.

The driving force behind our decision to participate in the case competition stemmed from the aspiration to take on a challenging opportunity and apply the theoretical knowledge of HR that we’ve acquired throughout the BBA degree in a practical setting. Furthermore, the competition presented a unique opportunity to represent Laurier and showcase our school's excellence, which was both motivating and fulfilling.

Without giving away any secrets, how much time is involved in preparing yourselves to be ready for a case competition?

Regarding specific preparations for the case competition, such as additional practices or training sessions, there were limited opportunities provided, consisting of only one to two hours leading up to the competition. This is primarily because we had already been equipped with the necessary tools to excel, thanks to the comprehensive training offered through our mandatory BBA courses and the HR-specific courses we had completed. The focus, therefore, was on utilizing our existing knowledge and skills effectively.

To end things off, can you tell us a fun story, or something interesting about your teammates?

We consider ourselves fortunate to have been grouped together as teammates and had the opportunity to take on this challenge as a collective unit. Our team dynamics were exceptional, and we collaborated seamlessly, resulting in a highly enjoyable experience for all. Hearing the announcement of the top three finalists on the second day of the competition was an exciting moment, and we were thrilled to have made the cut. This collective sense of excitement fueled us during the final presentation and helped us perform at our best.