By Elizabeth Kane
Photos by MLSE Photography, Unsplash, iStock
While case competitions have traditionally been the domain of business schools, three Carleton University students, Itoro Umanah (Bachelor of Communications and Media Studies), Lauren Tham (Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management) and Jahnelle Woldegiorgis (Bachelor of Global and International Studies) rose to the challenge as first-time competitors and won first place in the MLSE Global Partnerships Case Competition.
The annual sports marketing competition drew more than 1,350 participants from across Canada and globally, divided into 290 post-secondary teams. The competitors harnessed their expertise and creativity – developing novel partnership proposals for one of the company’s sports teams and a potential corporate partner.
Winning team members Lauren Tham (second from left), Itoro Umanah (centre), Jahnelle Woldegiorgis (right) and competition officials.
The Carleton Faculty of Global and Public Affairs team set out to create a comprehensive marketing plan leveraging the well-known brand of the Toronto Maple Leafs in new ways to promote a drugstore pain reliever to fans. Their innovative approach to the partnership won them the top spot.
But how did they get involved in the case competition in the first place?
According to team captain Umanah, her passion for sports marketing and brand partnerships led her to discovering the competition a few days before its application window closed.
“It was a great opportunity for us to get our foot in the door in the sports marketing industry,” says Umanah.
Time was of the essence, so Umanah reached out to Tham and Woldegiorgis – two of her peers from extracurricular activities with the Carleton University Students’ Association.
They readily agreed and the team got to work, submitting their first partnership pitch to the judges.
“I’m passionate about business partnerships and sports,” says Tham. “This was a perfect way to combine both of my interests.”
From Classroom to Competitive Edge
Their entry into the contest was an opportunity to utilize their classroom skills in new ways, according to Woldegiorgis.
“My concentration is in media communications and I have an interest working in sports public relations,” she says. “Being able to see how my degree can be applied differently helps me determine where I can succeed and where I can grow.”
The subsequent rounds of the competition saw the field of teams whittled down from the original 290 to 60 to the final 15. The team convened at the Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto to deliver their winning pitch to the judges.
“Winning this competition, especially as non-business students, has been an incredible experience,” says Tham. “Collaborating with my teammates to develop creative partnerships was both challenging and rewarding.”
In addition to what they learned in the classroom, the three winners agree that their experiences working with Carleton’s many clubs also helped to provide the marketing skills and creativity needed to succeed against the fierce competition.
“Despite being one of the only non-business student teams, our unique insight on the industry was to our benefit,” says Woldegiorgis.
Confidence: Fuel to the Fire
As first-place winners, each of the Carleton students were selected to interview for MLSE’s Summer Associate internship. While they await the results of the interviews, they look back fondly on the experience and the added confidence they have gained.
“We took a chance on ourselves and came out on top,” says Woldegiorgis. “I have a new level of confidence in myself. This experience really puts into perspective how important it is to believe in yourself.”
The team hopes that their success encourages others to explore non-traditional paths in their careers – no matter their degree.
“I couldn’t be prouder of what we achieved,” says Tham. “I hope our journey inspires other students to step outside their comfort zones because success isn’t limited by a specific background.”
It is a sentiment shared by Umanah.
“I hope this win is an inspiration to any student who thought they had to fit a certain description to realize a dream of theirs,” she says.
“There is no description, never settle.”
Photo of Toronto Maple Leafs Jersey by Scott Gummerson / Unsplash
Photo of Scotiabank Arena by FarzadFrames / iStock
Thursday, March 6, 2025 in Faculty of Public and Global Affairs, IWD 2024
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