Jack Johnson, an ambitious 2nd-year Business Management student at NDSCS is already a successful entrepreneur and business owner.

Jack, a Breckenridge, MN high school graduate has always been an active and motivated individual. During his high school years, Jack gained a wealth of experience working with Summerville Electric and Krump Construction, and had community involvement by coaching youth basketball and football teams.

Johnson's entrepreneurial journey took a significant leap forward when he secured an LLC for his venture, Johnson Auto Detailing, in May 2022, shortly before his high school graduation. Over the past two years, Johnson Auto Detailing has been his sole source of income, demonstrating the results of his dedication and hard work.

As a small business owner, Jack's responsibilities include hands-on service of vehicles, marketing, and financial oversight. His efforts have not only accumulated a social media presence of over 900 followers but have also earned his business multiple nominations for the Spark Plug Award and the Chamber of Service Award by the Wahpeton Chamber of Commerce.

Jack's vision is grand—he's not just running a business; he's laying the groundwork for what he aspires to be a business empire. After graduating from high school, and although he was already a business owner, Jack started at NDSCS to increase his knowledge of business management to continue being successful. His decision to enroll at NDSCS in the fall of 2022 was fueled by the affordability of the institution, and his trust with the College. “I know a lot of people who have gone through NDSCS including some of my older peers. They've expressed to me how they have enjoyed their experience as a whole as well as learned a lot about their degree.”

Jack values in his education at NDSCS and has taken several principles from class with him into his work at Johnson Auto Detailing. He specifically credits knowledge he gained during his Sales class, which through various roleplaying exercises, pushed him to get comfortable talking to customers, and prepared him for dealing with people in difficult situations. This class, among others, have helped Jack apply his knowledge and skills to his business. Jack appreciates that faculty at NDSCS finds fun and engaging ways to teach, which keeps the classroom exciting. Jack has been an active student in the NDSCS Business Management program, including being a National qualifier for DECA.

As Jack continues to balance his studies and his growing business, he is proof that with the right education and support, the possibilities are limitless.

After graduating from NDSCS in May with his Business Management degree, Jack plans to continue to own and operate Johnson Auto Detailing. He will use his educational background to grow in his business experience. And with his drive for success and entrepreneurial spirit, it’s clear that Jack has fantastic opportunities and remarkable success ahead of him.

Learn more about Jack at Johnsonautodetailing.net.

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is proud to announce that thirty-six NDSCS Collegiate DECA members competed at the 2024 North Dakota Collegiate DECA Conference on February 21st and 22nd.

This annual competition brings together some of North Dakota's best and brightest business students from eight different colleges to compete in various business case study events.

Students were entered into one individual event and were also paired up in a team competition. In both experiences, the students were presented with a real-world business problem and then asked to solve the scenario in front of judges. Area Fargo/Moorhead business professionals served as judges for this event. 

NDSCS Collegiate DECA had 28 members qualify to compete at the 2024 International Career Development Conference in Austin, Texas in April.

Top award winners in individual events include:

• Emma Hagemeister (1^st Place) Sales Management and Leadership Event
• Wyatt Rittenhouse (2^nd Place) Retail Management
• Natalia Nazario (2^nd Place) Entrepreneurship Operations
• Madison Hagan (3^rd Place) Travel and Tourism 
• Adnan Rahman (3^rd Place) Entrepreneurship Operations
• Triton Kaercher (3^rd Place) Financial Accounting
• Lucas Allen (3^rd Place) Hotel and Lodging
• Moriah Blazek (3^rd Place) Human Resource Management

Top Team Event Winners Include:

• Kylie Geray and Emma Hagemeister (2nd Place) Business-to-Business Marketing
• Ava Bladow and Corissa Lang (2nd Place) Business Ethics
• Myah Jelinek, Natalia Nazario (2nd Place) Entertainment Marketing
• Lauren Oster and Savannah Puetz (2nd Place) Event Planning
• Moriah Blazek and Taylor Slominski (2nd Place) Marketing Communications
• Lucas Allen and Mathias Kackman (3rd Place) Marketing Communications

Gregory Anderson, the faculty advisor for NDSCS Collegiate DECA, commented “I was pleasantly surprised at how well our students performed. As is usually the case, almost all NDSCS Collegiate DECA members are first-year students who have never competed before, going against seasoned juniors and seniors from four-year colleges who have experienced both state and national competitions. For our students to do well, they had to display a certain level of confidence, and I think that is what showed. I will be very proud to see a number of qualifiers take the next step at the International Conference in Austin, Texas.”

Business Law and Human Resource Management students toured Giant Snacks last Wednesday, November 8th. Rober Schuler, Vice President of Marketing, told students about how the company got its start and how it continues to be innovative in creating new snacks and seasonings of those snacks from sunflower seeds to pistachios. Marketing, supply chains, networking, technology/equipment advancements and branding were also addressed.

Human Resource Management students then went separately to ComDel Innovation and toured. Tiana Bohn, Business Management Advisory Board member and former student who is now the Learning Coordinator, conducted the tour. Specific questions regarding product development, prototyping, work flow process, day-to-day operations, recruitment, selection, and branding were addressed.

Bailey Adams, a 2022 NDSCS Business Management graduate, is thriving in small-town living and is making a significant impact on her community. The journey to her career, through her education at NDSCS, is unique and is marked by her flexibility and willingness to adapt. During her junior year in high school, Bailey was uncertain about her future and considered joining the military as a potential path forward.

During her senior year in high school, with no concrete college plans after graduation, she registered for the North Dakota Air National Guard. Bailey graduated from Richland 44 high school in 2019.

Basic training for the military wasn't scheduled until the following spring, so Bailey took the opportunity to enroll at NDSCS, during opening weekend in the Fall of 2019. The college's flexibility for late enrollment allowed her to participate in general education courses during that fall semester.

As the Spring of 2020 arrived, Bailey was called away for basic training and specific job training with the military, and was there from March to November, 2020. As she awaited her next military assignment, Bailey decided to enroll for the spring 2021 semester, this time choosing to study Business Management.

During her two years at NDSCS, Bailey formed lasting friendships and participated in campus life, attending athletic competitions and student events. Throughout her time in the Business Management program, Bailey found even more opportunity for her future.

Rebecca Undem, a public speaker and founder of Growing Small Towns, visited NDSCS to deliver a presentation to one of Bailey's classes. Growing Small Towns is a non-profit organization in Oakes, ND, dedicated to helping small towns thrive by facilitating partnerships between local non-profits and larger corporations, helps entrepreneurs start and scale their businesses, and hosts gathering space for various sized meetings and events. Inspired by the presentation and cooperative work on a project for the Oakes community, Bailey secured an internship for Fall 2022.

While in her internship, Bailey contributed to Growing Small Towns in various capacities, from managing social media marketing to updating the company's website. Prior to Bailey’s graduation from NDSCS in December 2022, Rebecca offered her a full-time position, and a more significant role within the organization.

Today, Bailey is an essential part of Growing Small Towns, involved in event planning and coordination, building management, invoicing, and much more. Her role allows her to engage in activities that enrich local communities, from planning meetings and company parties to co-working rentals and even an upcoming fashion show. Her favorite events have been the annual bus trips that bring people from the Fargo area to explore the hidden treasures of North Dakota's small towns.

Bailey attributes much of her success to her education at NDSCS, specifically highlighting the Quickbooks Accounting and Career Seminar courses that equipped her with important skills for both her personal and professional life. Her journey from uncertainty to making a meaningful impact in her small town serves as an inspiring example of the potential that can be unlocked through determination and higher education.

The North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is proud to announce that a team of students from its business management program recently competed at the 2023 North Dakota Collegiate DECA State Conference held in Fargo. This annual competition brings together some of North Dakota's best and brightest business students from eight different colleges to compete in various business case study events.

The NDSCS team, consisting of thirty-five members, performed exceptionally well with eighteen of them qualifying for the international competition in April in Orlando, Fla.

We are proud to announce the following individuals and their events:

• Lauren Schiefert, (Finalist) in Financial Accounting
• Lydia Vipond, (2nd Place) in Entrepreneurship Operations
• Keagan Neppl, (3rd Place) in Entrepreneurship Operations
• Alex Kelstrom, (Finalist) in Restaurant and Food Service
• Cassie Hanson, (3rd Place) in Retail Management
• Dustin Bentow, (2nd Place) in Sales Manager Meeting
• Parker Holtberg, (Finalist) in Sales Manager Meeting
• Jack Johnson, (2nd Place) in Travel and Tourism
• Reid Goodman, (Finalist) in Travel and Tourism
• Reid Goodman/Parker Holtberg, (Finalists) in Business-to-Business Team
• Jewelia Siegler/Kason Hartel, (3rd Place) in Business Ethics Team
• Anna Betz/Cassie Hanson, (2nd Place) competed in International Marketing Team
• Arianna Berryhill/Matt Fischer, (3rd Place) competed in International Marketing Team
• Kierra Christoferson/Madison Syvertsen, (3rd Place) competed in Marketing Communications Team
• Barbara Prante/Keagan Neppl, (Finalists) competed in Marketing Communications Team
• Jack Johnson/Mason Thom, (3rd Place) competed in Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team

“We are extremely proud of our students as this was, for most, their first experience in a Collegiate DECA competitive event,” said Gregory Anderson, the faculty advisor for NDSCS Collegiate DECA. “These students’ performance is a testament to their dedication and hard work, and is a true reflection of the quality of education that NDSCS provides.”

Photo Caption: (ICDC Qualifiers L - R) Barbara Prante, Jack Johnson, Mason Thom, Madison Syvertsen, Keagan Neppl, Kierra Christoferson, Reid Goodman, Parker Holtberg, Matt Fischer, Alex Kelstrom, Cassie Hanson, Arianna Berryhill, Anna Betz, Jewelia Siegler, Dustin Bentow, Lydia Vipond, Lauren Schiefert

Article written by NDSCS and submitted to external news outlets. 

An acclaimed program from the SIFMA Foundation, the Collegiate DECA Stock Market Game™ is an online simulation that challenges teams with building and managing a $100,000 virtual investment portfolio of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. The teams of participants managed all aspects of the portfolio including asset selection, buying and selling.

DECA congratulates the following top-ranking teams who participated in the first session of the Collegiate DECA Stock Market Game. Rankings are based on percentage growth against the S&P 500. These participants also met the diversity requirement of holding at least one bond, one stock and one mutual fund by the last trade date.

Congratulations to the following Collegiate DECA members from NDSCS — listed here by rank in the top 10:

1. Alexander Kelstrom - North Dakota State College of Science - Wahpeton, ND

2. Levi Witt - North Dakota State College of Science - Wahpeton, ND

3. April Finnie - North Dakota State College of Science - Wahpeton, ND

6. Nikolas Hunchak - North Dakota State College of Science - Wahpeton, ND

7. Luke Trebil - North Dakota State College of Science - Wahpeton, ND

9. Barbara Prante - North Dakota State College of Science - Wahpeton, ND

10. Shelby Nelson - North Dakota State College of Science - Wahpeton, ND

There is still another opportunity to participate in the Collegiate DECA Stock Market Game! The second session of the Collegiate DECA Stock Market Game will begin on February 6, 2023.

The winners will be recognized on stage during Collegiate DECA's 2023 International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Original article written and published by decadirect.org.

Nearly 200 Collegiate DECA members, including 5 NDSCS students and NDSCS Business Management Professor, Greg Anderson, attended the 2022 ENGAGE Conference in Atlanta, GA on November 3-5, 2022. The NDSCS student attendees were:

• Jayden Kaehler
• Reid Goodman
• Cassie Hanson
• Bridger Ell
• Hayden Schuler

The weekend included three days of non-stop networking, powerful speakers, career exploration, competition and captivating EduTours.

One highlight of the conference included behind-the-scenes EduTours to eleven businesses in the Atlanta area. These businesses included AmericasMart, Chick-fil-A, Dagger, Epicurean, Georgia-Pacific, Illuminarium, Inspire, Marriott, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Salesforce and Westin.

Another major component of the conference was the Case Study Challenge. This year's Case Study was a Marketing Management event that focused on buying and merchandising for a sporting goods store. Photo shown is of students Hayden, Reid, and Bridger preparing for their case study presentation. 

Original article written and published by decadirect.org. 

Thirty-two North Dakota State College of Science Collegiate DECA members recently competed at the North Dakota Career Development Conference in Fargo, N.D. NDSCS Chapter members participated in 16 separate events, ending up with a finalist in 11 events.

One-hundred-twenty students representing both two and four-year colleges and universities from across the state competed against one another in a variety of simulations, case studies and prepared events.     

The 11 NDSCS finalists include:

• Nate Wier – Accounting (Finalist); Business Ethics (2nd Place)
• Marcus Karsky – Accounting (Finalist)
• Ali Schoneman – Banking and Financial Services (Finalist)
• Thia Uhren – Fashion Merchandising (Finalist)
• Rowdy Borman – Restaurant Management (3rd Place); Human Resource Management (3rd Place)
• Noah Dobmeier – Retail Management (3rd Place); Business Ethics (2nd Place)
• Amy Stevens – Travel and Tourism (Finalist)
• Katlyn Hilbrand – Marketing Management (1st Place)
• Ian Uhrich – Sales Manager Meeting (3rd Place)

In addition, Ian Uhrich was elected to serve as the 2016-2017 State Association President while Dana Anderson was elected to serve as next year’s State Vice President.

NDSCS will now be sending a delegation to the International Career Development Conference to be held in Washington D.C. this April.

Collegiate DECA at NDSCS prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Nationwide, Collegiate DECA includes over 15,000 members in 275 colleges and universities.