Washburn University Students Finalists in International Business Simulation Competition

Topeka, Kan. - A team of Washburn University business students scored the highest among all U.S. entries in an international competition, the 2022 Capsim Fall Challenge, in Chicago earlier this month.

    James Monson (senior, majoring in entrepreneurship & innovation and marketing), Gabriel Chinya (senior, majoring in marketing and finance), Richard Dechant (senior, majoring in finance and economics) and Ross Harrop (senior, majoring in finance and management) finished fourth in the simulation event in which they maneuvered the challenges of an unpredictable business environment.

    More than 800 business students from around the globe competed in the challenge, repeating their in-class Capsim Business Simulation, running virtual, multi-million-dollar companies head-to-head against their peers to become one of the top six finalists in their game.

    The Washburn team first experienced Capstone Business Simulation in the class of Dr. Norma Juma, professor of management business at Washburn University. They signed up for the Challenge to better understand the simulation process and utilize knowledge to perform well and make the finals.

    James Monson is majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship and has a career goal of starting a marketing firm. He said, “It is important for an entrepreneur to understand all aspects of business. This simulation emphasizes problem-solving and critical thinking around the cause and effect of business decisions.”

    Dr. David Sollars, dean of the Washburn University School of Business, says the accomplishment reflects on both students and faculty.

    “Our faculty invest in our students so they can compete anywhere in the world,” Sollars said. “It is great when we can see our investments are realized so readily in a competition of this nature. We are proud of our students.”

Better equipped for an unpredictable future

    “The future for which we are preparing students is indeterminate and illusive – uncertainty prevails right across the economy,” said Capsim chairman, Reda Chafai. “It is critical for students to invest in themselves and work with learning tools that equip them to deal with random change.

    “Every student who signs up for the Capsim Challenge is making that investment in their future, going further than their course requires to hone adaptive and responsive decision-making skills.”

About the Capsim Challenge

    The bi-annual Capsim Challenge is open to all college students who have completed a Capsim Simulation in their course in the last 12 months. The Fall 2022 Challenge attracted students from universities in Australia, Canada, China, England, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.

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About Washburn University School of Business

The Washburn University School of Business offers nine undergraduate (Bachelor of Business Administration) programs which include accounting, business data analytics, economics, entrepreneurship & innovation, finance, general business, international business, management and marketing, as well as two graduate programs, Master of Business Administration and Master of Accounting. Washburn's School of Business is accredited by AACSB, a distinction bestowed upon only the top 5% of business schools nationwide.

About Washburn University

    Founded in 1865, Washburn University is a public institution with more than 6,000 students involved in more than 200 academic programs. Washburn’s programs lead to certification, associate, bachelor, master's degree or doctor of nursing practice and juris doctor degrees.  The programs are offered through Washburn’s six primary academic units – the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Applied Studies, the School of Business, the School of Nursing, the School of Law and the Washburn Institute of Technology (Washburn Tech).

    Washburn is ranked best public regional university in Kansas and 14^th best public regional university by U.S. News and World Report 2022-2023.