A team of four students from the Nebraska Business Honors Academy placed second at the 2025 McCombs National Women's Case Competition, held Feb. 25-27 at the University of Texas at Austin and sponsored by Apple. Competing against teams from 27 universities nationwide, the Nebraska team earned a $4,000 cash prize and Apple Watches for their strong performance in the competition.

The team included Sydney Beck, junior Clifton Builders management and marketing major from Fairway, Kansas; Amber Hanson, senior economics and finance major from Temecula, California; Karyssa Johnson, sophomore economics and finance major from Omaha, Nebraska; and Grace Schaefer, junior supply chain management major from Papillion, Nebraska.

“From our first meeting, it was clear this team was special. Despite being first-time competitors facing teams from 27 universities with significantly more case competition experience, Karyssa, Amber, Grace and Sydney embraced the challenge. They leaned on each other’s strengths, responded to feedback and delivered a standout proposal. Their final presentation earned high praise from other institutions and Apple executives. I’m incredibly proud of their hard work, adaptability and coachability,” said Erin Burnette, director of the Nebraska Business Honors Academy.

The case focused on a surge in demand for Apple’s AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), driven by a social media trend. Teams were tasked with developing a production strategy to meet the sudden increase. Nebraska’s team recommended transitioning two production lines from AirPods Entry to AirPods 4 ANC, a solution that balanced immediate demand needs with Apple’s long-term sustainability goals.

“They had given us four options to consider or to come up with our own. We altered one of their options and called it ‘Option Build-Your-Own A,’” Schaefer said. “Rather than simply transitioning one production line, we modified the strategy to transition two lines, ensuring Apple could meet the high forecasted demand while keeping the process efficient.”

For Hanson and most of the Nebraska team, competing in a case competition was a new challenge.

“This was my first case competition, and it was such a great experience,” she said. “I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone and strengthen my problem-solving and professional skills. This competition was the perfect opportunity.”

The Nebraska team’s success stemmed from their ability to collaborate under pressure and leverage their diverse skill sets.

“Our biggest advantage was our teamwork,” Beck said. “We had backgrounds in finance, economics, supply chain, management and marketing, which gave us a broad perspective. Our presentation was both complex and polished, but we also had fun putting it together, and I think that showed.”

Johnson emphasized the importance of their strategic approach, noting that developing a clear storyboard was a key factor in their performance.

“The first thing we did when we arrived at UT Austin was map out our entire story,” she said. “We had a lot of ideas and research, but we needed a clear way to communicate it all. Every detail had to fit our framework, and if it didn’t, we cut it.”

The McCombs School of Business created the competition to address the gender gap in case competitions. They shared that although women make up 50% of business students, they represent only 29% of case competition participants. Since starting in 2016, the event has aimed to provide more women with high-level problem-solving experiences and leadership opportunities.

Beck said the competition fostered both ambition and camaraderie.

“Every woman there was incredibly driven, but the support was just as strong as the competition,” she said. “It was inspiring to see women uplifting each other while still striving to be the best.”

For Schaefer, the experience reinforced the value of case competitions as a learning opportunity.

“This allowed me to tackle real-world problems under a tight deadline, practice high-stakes presentations and network with business leaders,” she said. “Those are the kinds of skills that will help me as I enter the workforce.”

The team’s hard work paid off in a big way — not only with their second-place finish but with a memorable experience that shaped their career development.

“I’d encourage anyone to participate in a case competition if they get the chance,” Hanson said. “You’ll learn so much, meet amazing people and gain confidence in ways you never expected.”