Middlesex Community College: Middlesex CC Students Win At Mass. DECA Competition

Press release from the Middlesex Community College:

Caitlin Buckley

4/28/2021

Middlesex Community College prides itself on providing students with relevant opportunities inside and outside of the classroom to help them reach their goals. At the 2021 Massachusetts DECA Competition, Middlesex students won first and second place in their categories.

The competition allows students majoring in marketing, finance, hospitality and management an opportunity to compete with other local colleges. Vikram Sharma, MCC Associate Professor of Business, led three Middlesex students through their events.

Having to participate in the event in an online format added an additional challenge to the competition for students, according to Sharma. Their success should also be emphasized as they were preparing for the event while working through the pandemic.

“We have done well in the past, but this year it feels more special as it really shows that our students can withstand pressures of the pandemic and so many other challenges,” Sharma said. “Despite these odds, our students worked hard and were successful in their events.”

Middlesex was the only community college among four-year colleges and universities participating. The MCC students who participated were using the knowledge and skills they learned in introductory courses against students at other colleges who have taken advanced accounting courses, according to Sharma.

“As a faculty member, this is very inspiring and motivating,” he said. “It feels great that we are preparing our students for the real world. Being a part of this competition is also a great networking opportunity, makes our students great team players, and instills strong leadership and communication skills.”

MCC student Brian Rosa won first place in the Financial Accounting individual event against students from three other colleges. Middlesex students Tyler Galvin and Natalie Mayo placed second in the Financial Statement Analysis team event against four other teams.

The events are judged by professionals in business industries and their feedback is valuable to the students who hope to enter the workforce. Students gain presentation, leadership, organization and team-building skills through their participation.

In his individual competition, Rosa had to audit the balance sheet of a case study and then present his work to two judges who acted as the owners. By participating in the event, Rosa believes he is gaining relevant knowledge and experiences that show his passion and dedication for his subject. This success will lead to more opportunities from four-year schools and future employers.

“Employers essentially invest in you to help grow their businesses,” he said. “By having things like the Mass. DECA Competition on your resume, it shows to employers that you are a worthwhile hire and investment because you go above and beyond in your related field and will likely be a top performer for the employer should you be hired.”

A Business Administration Transfer major from Burlington, Rosa took a break after graduating from high school before starting at Middlesex in 2020. He notes that because he has Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), he has struggled with studying and learning essential repetitive tools. Through hard work and commitment, Rosa proved to himself that he can be successful in his academic and professional endeavors.

His second year participating in the event, president of the Business and Economics club Galvin helped Sharma plan MCC’s part in the competition. A Business major from Chelmsford, Galvin is proud of his club members for their achievements.

“We were so happy to have placed so high this semester especially as the only community college competing,” he said. “We had been practicing for the weeks coming up to the event and knew we would do great. I was so happy for Brian and Natalie as this was their first official DECA competition.”

As a team, Galvin and Mayo prepared for their presentation by working on previous case studies. For their event, they were given 24 hours to look through the case study and prepare a recommendation on how to proceed.

Mayo is a Business Administration major and student math tutor at MCC’s Academic Centers for Enrichment (ACE) from Dracut. She also participates in MCC’s theatre program and Business Club. About the Mass. DECA Competition, she said, “I’m really glad I participated because it’s good experience for a future career in business and it looks good on a resume.”

MCC’s Business program helps students go into the workforce or transfer to four-year schools with its award-winning and affordable offerings, small class sizes and flexible schedules. Visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/discover/dyp_business.aspx for more information and to discover your path to a Business degree at Middlesex.

Middlesex is now registering for the Summer and Fall 2021 semesters. For more information – and to register for classes – visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!

This press release was produced by the Middlesex Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.