Target case competition

UD undergraduates participate in competition sponsored by Target

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1:19 p.m., May 29, 2012--University of Delaware fashion merchandising students took top honors in Target’s Undergraduate Case Study Competition, in which the retail company sought student solutions to create a sustainable or reusable store gift card. 

Fashion merchandising students Alessandra Cicchino and Maria Grimaldi, both juniors, and Kimberly Valdini, a freshman, earned the $2,000 first place prize for their proposal of a wooden card, which they presented before Target executives last week. 

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“They had everything—the facts, figures, numbers and creativity,” said Jill Pante, assistant director for the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics Career Services Center, which organized the competition.

This was the first year in which the University has worked with Target on a case competition project, although says the two have a longstanding, credible relationship. 

“This [competition] is yet another way to help connect employers with students,” she said, adding that the store’s representatives have already requested the students’ resumes and plan to bring up their ideas at the corporation’s next executive meeting. 

The contest was open to all undergraduate students. Fifteen groups submitted executive summaries, and six were chosen to present before the Target executives. 

Of the 15 total entries, 10 came from FASH 325: Multimedia Fashion Presentations, a course taught by instructor Brenda Shaffer. 

“Our department has a very strong focus on sustainability, which was a central piece of this project,” she said. “In addition, our students are well-rounded in their business knowledge because of strong course work in the Lerner College of Business and Economics. Combined, the skill sets our students possess provide a strong platform that is valuable in a broad array of circumstances, scenarios and career paths.”

The winners

Senior finance major Jake Buttery earned second place in the competition, receiving $1,000.

In third place, earning $700, were: Shara Fishman, a junior fashion merchandising student; Emily Harp, a sophomore apparel design major; and senior fashion merchandising students Sangkyu Lee and Alexandra McKay. 

The fourth place, $300 winners were sociology senior Jessica Bull and operations management senior Danielle Larregui. 

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