UW-River Falls students move on to Collegiate DECA International Conference

March 28, 2016 -- For the first time, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls new DECA chapter competed at the Collegiate DECA State Career Development Conference, sending 14 DECA student members to Madison for the March 3-6 competition. Because of their impressive showing, the students are now eligible to compete at the Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference in Washington D.C. April 16-19.

UW-River Falls DECA members had a strong finish with Brooke Amann and Miranda VanDell, both of River Falls, taking first place in the event planning competition; Alfonso Tolbert of Rogers, Minn., and Sarah Crowe of Chisago City, Minn., taking first place in the business-to-business competition; and Megan Beasley of Lakeville, Minn., and Courtney Kanipes of White Bear Lake, Minn., taking third place in the business-to-business competition. In addition, Brianna Ahrndt of Benson, Minn., Amanda Bauer of Hastings, Minn., Andrew Davies of Elk River, Minn., Logan Lennertz, of Elk River, Minn., Teresa McCullen of Cannon Falls, Minn., Victoria Mohr of Mound, Minn., Katie Grymala of Superior, Angela Duherty of Prior Lake, Minn., and Cody Vander Heyden of Monticello, Minn., attained scores that allowed them to advance in their events as well.

"They've worked incredibly hard and I am extremely proud of them," said Stacy Vollmers, assistant dean in the College of Business and Economics and faculty adviser for DECA.

DECA is an organization that prepares leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, management, and other business areas. The Collegiate Division of DECA includes more than 15,000 members in 275 colleges and universities. DECA is open to all students who have an interest in developing leadership and entrepreneurial skills and competing in events in the areas of business management and administration, marketing and communications, hospitality and tourism, and finance and accounting.

For more information about the UW-River Falls DECA program, email stacy.vollmers@uwrf.edu.