This fall, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business celebrated not only the winners of the annual Cornhusker Business Case Competition held Oct. 24-25, but also the student-led design that sets the event apart. Created by students for students, the competition was honored by the Mid-American Business Deans Association with its Innovation Award for New Ways to Achieve Student Engagement, underscoring the dedication of the Nebraska Business team in creating a transformative learning experience.

Bringing together 14 undergraduate teams from universities across the country, including Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas and Vermont, the case competition challenged students to develop a revitalization plan for a hypothetical zoo using a $5 million grant. Competitors analyzed community engagement strategies and financial and operational challenges and crafted a compelling value proposition for stakeholders. Winning teams included: University of Texas at Austin, University of Iowa and University of Texas at Dallas.

“This case competition stands out from others hosted by universities each year because it's made by students for students,” said Kathy Farrell, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean and professor of finance. “Providing an award-winning experience is possible because of all the hours the planning team of Nebraska Business Honors Academy students put in to make this competition meaningful. I want to recognize Avery Plessel, Braden Starck, Kaylee Campbell and Sophie Thomas for their hard work for the past several months.”

Seeking a sponsor for the $6,000 in prizes, Farrell approached John Geppert, professor emeritus of finance. Retiring from a 32-year career at Nebraska Business, Geppert “loves teaching, his students and serving others and the university,” she said.

“Dean Farrell knew of my passion for animals and zoos, so when the case competition topic came up, she thought I’d be a great fit to sponsor,” Geppert said at the competition's welcome event. “Nonprofits are often overlooked when people search for jobs, yet they need skills like yours to do valuable work. I encourage you to consider these organizations as you start your careers.”

With a nonprofit case topic, the student planning committee sought judges who would bring relevant expertise. Senior finance and management major Braden Starck from Edwardsville, Illinois, helped secure 19 judges from the university and Lincoln’s nonprofit community.

“We’re grateful for the nonprofit directors and board members who judged because we wanted to show how vibrant our local nonprofit community is,” he said. “From last year’s sports-based case, we wanted to branch out with something new. Being part of this experience, from idea to fully planned event, has been incredible.”

In developing this year’s case, the committee focused on the unique challenges facing zoos, especially those without robust financial backing. Kaylee Campbell, a junior actuarial science major from Tracy, Minnesota, enjoyed the process of bringing an idea to life.

“We started by looking at how different zoos operate, especially with the challenges many faced after the pandemic,” Campbell said. “Our question to competitors was: How can a hypothetical zoo transform with the right resources? Seeing the creative solutions from the teams and how they approached the case from so many different ways is exciting as a case writer.”

For Sophie Thomas, a senior marketing and management major from Lakeville, Minnesota, who led team outreach and logistics, the competition offers the opportunity for students to apply their analytical and problem-solving skills to solve a real-world-inspired scenario.

“It’s really special to make an impact through this competition and for the Husker community to influence people nationwide,” Thomas said. “So many people are leaving with wonderful impressions of Nebraska, and I’m glad we could share our university and Husker spirit with them.”

Avery Plessel, a senior marketing major from Beatrice, Nebraska, valued the opportunity to continue the legacy of last year's inaugural competition planning committee.

“I wanted to get involved because I looked up to the team that started this competition,” she said. “We’re a Big Ten business school and a top 30 public undergraduate program as ranked by the U.S. News & World Report, and hosting students here for a great case competition reflects that quality. We’ve heard compliments on our campus, energy and kindness, which makes us all proud.”