Each year University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration students put their leadership skills to the test in regional and national competitions. This year CBA students found success in several academic competitions hosted by national business organizations. 
 
EntrepreneuringDays@UNL showcased student innovation and gave them the opportunity to pitch their business plan and receive feedback. Twenty-seven teams competed, and two UNL students, James Verhoeff, a senior marketing and management major from Cortland, Neb., and Zach Christensen, a junior biochemistry major from Elkhorn, Neb., won the $50,000 grand prize for the mobile app they developed called PickIt. The app allows users access to deals from local merchants redeemed by scanning a card at the merchant. The merchant is charged a commission with each swipe, half of which goes to a nonprofit chosen by the consumer.
 
CBA MBA students took home the first place trophy in the second annual ACG Nebraska Cup competition. The ACG Cup is an intercollegiate case study competition designed to give students invaluable insights into mergers and acquisitions, investment banking and private equity. The winning team included Tyler Cyboron from Ravenna, Neb., Andrew Lempka from Omaha, Neb., and Jared Thomas from Columbus, Neb. Ben Herbers, a student in the joint MBA/Juris Doctor program from Lincoln, Neb., also helped with the team preparation, but was not able to participate at the competition. They were awarded $4,000 and advanced to the regional competition in St. Louis.
 
Nine students pitched to a panel of professional judges at the Target Case Competition at UNL. The winning team of marketing majors Philip Kapalka from Apple Valley, Minn., Shelby Jacobs from West Des Moines, Iowa, and Taylor Holland from White Bear Lake, Minn. received a $1,500 grand prize.
 
Fourteen business students presented at the Beta Alpha Psi Best Practice Competition in Kansas City, Kan. The UNL Beta Alpha Psi chapter, which is a national honorary organization for accounting, financial and information systems professionals, had three teams compete. One team received first place and will compete in the national competition at the Beta Alpha Psi Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif., on August 9.
 
The UNL Enactus team advanced to the Enactus United States National Exposition in Kansas City, Mo., from the regional competition in Chicago. The students were advised by Associate Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Assistant Professor of Practice in Management Sam Nelson and Rose Graves, staff secretary for the Center for Entrepreneurship.
 
The UNL chapter dominated the Phi Beta Lambda State Leadership Conference held in Kearney, Neb. Fifteen members won 16 first place titles and advanced to compete at the Phi Beta Lambda National Conference in Anaheim, Calif., in June. The team also achieved 14 second place positions in the various business competitions, and four members were elected to state offices.
 
In addition to outstanding success in these competitions, 12 CBA students participated in the UNL Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences (UCARE) program, which gives students the opportunity to learn the practice of research by undertaking a project for up-to-two years under the guidance of a faculty advisor. The students’ research was highlighted at the Spring UNL Undergraduate Research Fair. Published: June 20, 2013