At the Michigan Collegiate DECA State Career Development Conference, Kettering University students were evaluated the way business professionals are: by how well they could apply core concepts, solve unfamiliar problems, and defend their decisions under pressure.
From February 6–8, 2026, in Bay City, Michigan, 26 Kettering University students earned nine podium finishes, securing four first-place finishes, two second-place finishes, and four third-place finishes, tying Michigan State University, Northwood University, and Central Michigan University in overall event standings.
Collegiate DECA competitions operate in two primary formats:
Case study events require students to analyze an unfamiliar business situation and present recommendations within a limited timeframe to industry judges, typically individually or in pairs.
Prepared events require 1 to 3 students to conduct structured research within a defined business context, produce a comprehensive written report of approximately 15 pages, including supporting data appendices, and defend their findings before one or more industry judges.
Event Champions and Placements
First Place
Entrepreneurship — Starting a Business: Ethan Arun, Joseph Kowalski, Benjamin Bollman
Fashion Merchandising and Marketing: Ethan Arun
Human Resource Management: Ria Kapoor
Marketing Management: Primchelle Rose Lanario
Restaurant and Food Service Management: Joseph Kowalski
Second Place
Business Research: Ria Kapoor, Ally Raymer, Meadow Loukmas
Travel and Tourism: Stephen Stewart
Third Place
Advertising Campaigns: Grant Vue, Dominick Coto, Gregory Yang
Business-to-Business Marketing: Harrison Ketchum, Jack Sigelko
Entrepreneurship Operations: Benjamin Bollman
Retail Management: Grant Vue
Medal Finalists
Business-to-Business Marketing: Primchelle Rose Lanario, Stephen Stewart
Corporate Finance: Mikita Tarasevich
Entrepreneurship — Starting a Business: Mikita Tarasevich, Jason Babb, Parker Sieffert
Fashion Merchandising and Marketing: Adam Quintana
Restaurant and Food Service Management: Aidan Petras
Sales Management and Leadership: Alexander Nemecek
Travel and Tourism: Bassam Jahengir, Jason Babb
"Grades measure what students know — competitions reveal what students can do,” said Dr. Terence Pitre, Dean of Kettering’s School of Management. “When our students walk into a DECA event, they’re not taking a test in a familiar classroom. They’re competing in real time, thinking on their feet, and defending their ideas to experienced business professionals. They’re ready to perform, not just recite.”
A Competition Built Around Professional Judgment
Collegiate DECA events are structured around applying core business concepts, developing practical solutions, and communicating them clearly within defined limits. Students analyze real-world business scenarios, evaluate financial and operational data, develop strategic recommendations, and present their solutions to industry judges.
This format closely mirrors the applied decision-making model at the heart of Kettering University’s academic approach. Much like the Co-op and project-based experiences embedded across Kettering programs, DECA competitions reward students who can apply knowledge, communicate effectively, and adapt quickly to complex, ambiguous challenges.
“The greatest evidence of our students' preparation for the workplace is their willingness and ability to learn specific concepts on their own, organize their thoughts, and put together a compelling story for the judges,” said John Grether, Kettering DECA advisor and Professor of Practice in the School of Management. “They don't wait to be told what to do or how to think.”
Grether added that readiness is most evident in how students interact throughout the conference with judges, faculty advisors, and competitors from other universities, often prompting surprise from peers who realize many participants already have professional workplace experience.
"Doing well in this type of competition just builds their self-confidence,” he said. “They acquire 3rd-party evidence that validates the professional business skills that will allow them to succeed in professional work environments."
