Two dozen business schools competed in the 14th National Diversity Case Competition, presented by the IU Kelley School of Business

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Students from two dozen colleges and universities came to the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Jan. 17-18 to compete at the 14th National Diversity Case Competition.

The event, held annually the weekend before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, also attracts corporate partners from top companies and alumni for a weekend of networking and professional development. Nearly 100 students competed for $18,400 in prize money.

Started 14 years ago as the brainchild of a student organization, the National Diversity Case Competition last year was honored with the Inspiring Programs in Business Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education.

“We are proud to be the first business school to host a national event of this kind, and we look forward to it every year, because it gathers bright, promising talent from all over the country and enlivens our spaces with innovative solutions and meaningful connections that last long after this competition is over,” said Robert E. Thomas, associate dean for access, empowerment & societal impact and the Charles M. Hewitt Professor of business law and ethics.

Through the event, the Kelley School engages with corporate partners who are just as passionate about employing a wide range of perspectives to address issues their companies are facing.

This year, 24 student teams focused on a case provided by Grant Thornton that asked them to develop a comprehensive plan to engage first-generation and underrepresented minority high school students in the field of accounting, supporting their journeys toward careers in the field. Last year, a team from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas won the competition.

Other sponsoring companies this year included AbbVie, Altria, Bank of America, Delta, EY, Forvis Mazars, GE HealthCare, KPMG and Nucor.

Many participating students find the event leads to further leadership opportunities, internships and jobs after graduation. In 2024, the Kelley School created an NDCC advisor network to continue closely working with participating schools throughout the year, and not just during the competition.

Each four-student team must include two members from an underrepresented population. Among the 96 students who participated, 30% identified as African American, 21% identified as Hispanic, 21% identified as Asian and 21% identify as multiracial and 7% identified as Caucasian. Those identifying as women accounted for 57% of the competitors and those identifying as men, 43% percent. The average of grade-point average of participants was 3.52.

Events began Friday, Jan. 17 with a networking session and dinner. Competition began early the following day, with the schools divided into several brackets. The winners in each bracket continued to the finals. Prizes were awarded to the winners and finalists.

Four Kelley undergraduate students won an internal case competition last semester to earn the right to represent the school at the National Diversity Case Competition. but unfortunately finished outside the finals. The all-women team were Krithika Vulavala, a finance and information systems major from Belle Mead, N.J.; Manasa Kollapaneni, a finance and international business major from Frisco, Texas; Sanjana Amanana, a finance and economic major from Irving, Texas; and Srihitha Kanamatareddy, a finance, accounting and business analytics from Flower Mound, Texas.

This year, a team from Emory University won the competition, taking home $8,000 in prize money. The team from Drexel University finished second, followed by teams from the University of Denver, third; the University of Maryland, fourth; Tulane University, fifth; and the University of Virginia, sixth.

In addition to Grant Thornton, a platinum sponsor, other corporate partners provide substantial financial support for the event, which includes travel reimbursement and lodging and meals for students to eliminate barriers to their participation. “Our relationships with them have been invaluable and enriching, and we are immensely grateful for the time, guidance, and connection they have offered and continue to offer our students,” Thomas said.

In addition to Kelley, schools that sent teams this year were: Babson College, Boston College, Brigham Young University, Claflin University, College of Charleston, Drexel University, Emory University, Howard University, Northern Illinois University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, Tulane University, University of Arizona, University of Denver, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, University of Oregon, University of Virginia and University of Wisconsin-Madison.