GCU News Bureau
The Collegiate DECA chapter at Grand Canyon University has earned the right to send 10 students -- its best representation ever -- to compete at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) on April 11-14 in Washington, D.C.
GCU was host to the recent Arizona Career Development Conference, which included Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona, Estrella Mountain Community College, GateWay Community College, Scottsdale Community College, South Mountain Community College, and Grand Canyon University.
The GCU students earned placements in the following categories:
- Advertising Campaign: Sabrina Cross, 1st place; Skyler Faulkner, 2nd place
- Business-to-Business Marketing: McKenzie Shaver and Samantha Sciubba, 1st place
- Event Planning: Natalie Vittitow and Myah Vinther, 3rd place
- Fashion & Merchandise Marketing: Sabrina Cross, 3rd place
- Marketing Management: Francisco Ortiz y Davis, 2nd place; Francisco Ortiz y Davis, Best exam
- Professional Sales: Shay Goddard, 1st place; Jacqueline Briseno, 2nd place
One additional GCU student is eligible to attend ICDC, bringing the total to 10. Seventy-five percent of the students who competed qualified for the national event; GCU's previous best was 50 percent.
Dr. Randy Gibb, Dean of the Colangelo College of Business, said CCOB Professor Kelly Damron "has done an outstanding job leading our Collegiate DECA program and in hosting the state event. We have had success at the national competition in previous years, and we are optimistic about the students heading to Washington.”
DECA is a competitive business and social club that helps students build career skills and get involved in the community. During this academic year, Collegiate DECA of GCU has raised money for the Phoenix Children’s Hospital and helped build a playground at the Salvation Army in Phoenix through KABOOM! It also mentored a high school DECA chapter and hosted professional speakers.
Not all of the students who participate and compete in DECA are business majors. Some are from the College of Fine Arts and Production and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
