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MHC students place second at 2025 Alberta Deans Business Case Competition

Competing under pressure. Creative problem-solving. Presenting to a panel of judges. The 2025 Alberta Deans of Business Case Competition was a crash course in real-world skills — and for Medicine Hat College (MHC) university transfer: commerce student, Malakai Bartsch, an experience that expanded their sense of what’s possible as a student and future employee.

Held March 13–15 in Fort McMurray, the province-wide competition challenged students to develop a marketing strategy to increase ridership at the Fort McMurray Airport. 

Bartsch, along with teammates Siya Gulati, a second-year business administration – marketing major, and Mason Hoimyr, a first-year accounting student, earned second place and $2,500 in prize money, shared between the students and MHC’s Case Club. The win is proof that high-quality students, education, and representation are thriving in southeast Alberta and at MHC’s School of Business and Continuing Studies.

“The education I have been provided has taught me to think critically and walk through things step-by-step, allowing me to have a more holistic understanding of problems, such as the case project,” says Bartsch. 

Adding that this has resulted in benefits both academically and professionally.

“As a student, I feel this experience has allowed me to perform better under pressure, while as a potential employee, I bring the same value - along with being able to think outside of the box and providing solutions that may have been overlooked.” 

Miranda Davies, business instructor and faculty mentor for the Case Club, reiterates the value of applied learning – an opportunity the college prides itself on providing to students. 

“This is an excellent opportunity for students to work in teams, apply classroom teachings, and put it into practice. Their fear of presenting diminishes, and in this team’s case, they saw that with commitment and dedication they could earn a winning spot.”

Davies says the team has been preparing since September, meeting weekly to analyze business cases and develop strategic recommendations. These students compete in four internal case competitions to refine and sharpen their skills under pressure. 
“I am so proud of them,” Davies says. “They won because they listened to the guidance of their instructors, applied it, and put in the hard work required.”