Competition News

February 18, 2013

Congratulations and Good Luck to the following 16 teams chosen to compete on March 21-23, 2013!

Innovative Business Solutions (University Park)

Scott Collins, Myron Leung, Xinyue Feng, Yue Mao

The Chosen Ones (University Park)

Jianan Yu, Kelly Zheng, Shyam Lakhani, Jesse Reis

Kohl Train (University Park)

Jilian Keller, Radler Kelly, Alexander Annunziato, Alexander Madzio

One Hit Wonders (University Park)

Kyle Wang, Noor Nahavandi, Ryan Saba, Eli Karvi

Kohls Kommodities (University Park)

Alayna Auerbach, Alexander Brillman, Ariel Prochowski, Serkan Saka

Team Greater Allegheny (Greater Allegheny)

Amanda Alhaj, James Hiles, Steven Pro, Lindsay Guglielmo

Berks (Berks)

Noreen Cioffi, Xin Yu Bi, Eric Augustine, Nicol Varano

Alpha Kappa (University Park)

Rachel Lewis, Sarah Gooch, Ryan Rainey, Kaitlyn Gregg

Behrend's Team Bruno (Behrend)

Ryan Knoll, John Wells, Kaley Morgenstern, Biljana Vidakovic

Real Deal Retailers (University Park)

Rebecca Fry, Lindsey Grillot, Alicia Popsecu, Lauren Miller

Great Expectations (University Park)

Ashley Weinheimer, Yingxi Sophia Wu, Kayla Ariza, Morgan Small

Team Brandywine (Brandywine)

Amelia Klaus, Amanda Dzwill, Joseph Pilling, R. Brett Robinson

I Smeal A Victory (University Park)

Zachary Fleming, Matthew Jones, Natalie Magan, Christopher Sihelnik

Magna Res (University Park)

Jessica Altman, Laila Saghian, Devin Everett, Marlow Bryant

The KOHLition (University Park)

Ashlynn Eidemiller, Alyssa Shirley, Molly Brunner, Matthew Delricco

Kohl Me Maybe (University Park)

Jacob Bealin, Tyler Feldman, Gregory Merrick, Allura So

2012

March 26, 2012

Congratulations to last years winners!

The Real Dream Team - UP
Matthew Bonczek, Andrea Fochler, Marc McMullen and Matthew Thorwart
TEAM ADVISOR: William Lippert/Shaun Knight

March 24, 2012

Congratulations for our four finalists!

Fresh Innovations
Kenny Allen, Jacob Bealin, Gregory Merrick, and Allura So
TEAM ADVISOR: Meg Brower

Great Expectations - Altoona
Matt Amrhein, Kevin Burmmert, Nichole Lester and Matt Stolarski
TEAM ADVISOR: Maurie Kelly

March 5, 2012

It is three weeks until the competition.  Again congratulations to our teams Business As Usual, Capitalist, Fresh Innovations, Great Expectations (Altoona), Kohl's Kommodities, MISers, PS Greater Allegheny, PSU Berks, PSU Brandywine, Prometheus, Team Beaver, Team Behrend, Team Park, The Real Dream Team, We're Just Goodlooking and Wilkes-Bears. Please see below for team members names.  Hope all of you have contacted your advisors and are gearing up for the competition!
Remember that teams and advisors attending the store tour need to be in the lobby of the Nittany Lion Inn by 3:00 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012. All team members should be registered and checked-in.  If your room is not ready the Nittany Lion Inn will hold your luggage while you are on the store tour.  Advisors will be able to register between 5:00-6:00 pm in front of Ballroom DE at the Nittany Lion Inn before the Welcome Dinner which starts at 6:00 pm.

February 11, 2012

Emails will go out today with Important information about the Smeal Case Competition from Cindi Satterfield.  Teams, please contact your advisors.  Advisors please remember to RSVP for the Store Tour and the Advisor Outing.  Also, a note to our team advisors staying at the Nittany Lion Inn to make your reservations!

January 14, 2012

Calling all Volunteers! Gain experience and network with Kohl's executives, and Smeal deans and alumni.  Be involved in this great opportunity and connect with PSU students from other campuses.  Email SmealCaseCompetition@gmail.com to request information. Please note that once you sign up for a shift, as an SCC Volunteer you will be required to attend a meeting on March 20, in Room 217 of the Business Building starting at 6:00 pm.  At the meeting we will discuss volunteer protocol, dress, schedules, etc., and stuff the complimentary bags with contents provided for free by Kohl's for the competing teams and also the registration folders. These are given out to the teams when they register on March 22 for the event.  Also, FREE pizza for volunteers at the meeting and a drawing to win a $30 gift card to any Kohl's Department Store. Expect great things!

January 25, 2012

Hello Team Advisors!  An email was sent out today to all team advisors with instructions about your role as an advisor, hotel accommodations, directions and an invitation to the Advisor Outing on 3/23/12.  A free ride on the Penn State Trolley and a trip to Seven Mountains Wine Cellars for wine tasting and a warm catered lunch is included.  Please RSVP to Cindi Satterfield.  You are encouraged to attend to network with other team advisors and celebrate your role in the competition!  Look forward to seeing you there.

Details in email copied below.

Hotel Accommodations

Please call the Nittany Lion Inn at 1-800-233-7505 to reserve a room for your stay for March 23, 24 and 25. Give the code SMEC12F to receive the discounted price of $89.00 ($96.57 including tax) per night in the competition's reserved block of rooms.  Guaranteed late arrival is recommended by the hotel.  You have until Friday, March 2, 2012 to make your reservation.  After that, the hotel releases the block of rooms and the discounted rate will not apply. If you are local, you need not stay at the Nittany Lion Inn.

Kohl’s Information Session and Team Advisor Outing

On Friday, March 23, Kohl’s will be hosting an Advisor Outing starting out with an information session at 11:00 am in Room 215 of the Business Building.  From their we will be taking the PSU Trolley to Seven Mountains Wine Cellars in Spring Mills, PA, for a warm catered lunch and wine tasting.  Please join us for this event by emailing Cindi Satterfield at cds14@psu.edu to RSVP by March 2, 2012.  All advisors are encouraged to attend and network.

February 3, 2012

Major change for March 22, 2012. Times changes for registration, the store tour and the Welcome Dinner.  Check out the on-line agenda!  Teams need to be registered by 3:00 pm and at the hotel by 3:30 pm to leave for the store tour.

2011

October 26, 2011

Dinner with Kohl's - On Wednesday evening, the Steering Committee along with future Kohl's employees, had dinner with top Kohl's executives, John Grosso, Executive Vice President, Katie Boscoe, Senior Vice President, Katie Beck, Territory HR Vice President, Carl Bour, District Manager, Todd McClement, Director of University Relations and Erica Trotta, Manager of University Relations. The dinner was to honor Smeal students that had recently accepted offers from Kohl's for internships and full time positions. Also Kohl's thanked the Steering Committee for organizing the case competition and talked to all the students in attendance about participating. Each student at the dinner received a PSU flannel blanket and a $10 gift card.

October 27, 2011

The Steering Committee met with the same Kohl's representatives that attended the dinner last night. Our Committee Chair, Elena Lightfoot, presented the ideas and plans for this year's competition. Kohl's was impressed by the progress and also had some great ideas.     Everyone on the committee and Kohl's is committed to making this year's event a success.

November 3, 2011

The Information Session was well attended with standing room only.  One student that participated in the competition last year came and he said competing in the competition was "a blast."  Students asked informative questions.  If the Steering Committee didn't know the answers, they were told to email SmealCaseCompetition@gmail.com. Questions will be answered as quickly as possible.  Requests were made to post the PowerPoint slides from last night.

November 17, 2011

The application deadline has been extended to Friday, December 2, 2011 at 5:00 pm.

December 2, 2011

Thank you to the 31 teams from University Park and the 9 teams from the Commonwealth Campuses who applied to the competition.  Watch for the 16 teams who will be selected!

December 9, 2011

Announcement of the 16 competing teams - watch the Smeal screens for more information.

January 4, 2012

Congratulations to the 16 teams from University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses that have been chosen to compete.  The 40 teams that applied were of the highest quality so it was a hard decision for our Steering Committee!

Also, Smeal College of Business and the Steering Committee want thank the faculty and staff that stepped forward and gave their time and commitment as team advisors!