The Queen’s Cup has found its way back York University’s Schulich School of Business after Team Schulich claimed the win for the 2018 MBA Games earlier this month. It’s the seventh win in 16 years for Schulich.
Team Schulich braved the extreme Ottawa cold, alongside rival competitors from 16 other Canadian graduate business schools, to win the Queen’s Cup and the right to host the 2019 MBA Games next January.
Since 2003, Schulich has placed first, second or third 15 times. The school also hosted the 2004, 2011, 2014 and 2016 MBA Games.
About 600 students from 17 universities competed in this year’s games at Telfer School of Management in Ottawa. Points were awarded across contests in three categories, including multiple case competitions, a spirit competition and several sports contests.
Team Schulich won first place overall, placing first in the Spirit Competition to create the winning MooseTube Video that best showcased the 2018 MBA Games theme of “More Together.” Through the Spirit Competition, Team Schulich raised $4,180 of the $45,311 raised for the Moose Hide Campaign’s “Safe Space, Safe Place” initiative to end violence toward women on university campuses across Canada.
Team Schulich also placed first in the Diversity and Inclusion Case Competition; and second in the Strategy and Finance Case Competitions.
Teams from Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School of Management and UBC’s Sauder School of Business placed second and third overall, respectively.
“This was our year to win the MBA Games,” said Catherine Sim, team captain, who expects to graduate with a Schulich MBA degree later this year. “It feels great to bring the Queen’s Cup back to where it belongs.”
Competitors had to layer on extra clothing for the weekend-long event due to an unusually cold winter, said Sim, who is also athletics director for the Schulich Graduate Business Council.
“The temperature in Ottawa was around -25°C. Team Schulich took part in a scavenger hunt where we had to take pictures of monuments around the city. Some of the men on our team had frozen beards. If that doesn’t prove dedication, I don’t know what does,” said Sim.
“I’m so proud of our Schulich team. Every one of our 39 team members worked very hard to prepare, and they all came together as a strong team,” said coach Joe Fayt, a marketing instructor at Schulich. “It’s a real honour to win, particularly given the high calibre of teams competing from business schools across Canada.”
Fayt and Sim also thanked RBC, as Title Sponsor and a longstanding supporter of Schulich’s participation in the annual MBA Games, as well as the Schulich Annual Fund and 407 ETR for their generous support.
Schulich MBA students will compete in several other national and international case competitions throughout 2018, including the regional competitions for the prestigious Hult Prize, Schulich’s own Developers’ Den, and others, said Fayt, who provides coaching support to many of the competing students.
Watch Team Schulich’s inspiring MooseTube Video that best showcased the 2018 MBA Games theme of “More Together”.