College of Business

Over the summer, Beta Alpha Psi and accounting and finance senior Wendy Zheng participated in the Project Run With It Competition. Project Run With It (PRWI) is a case competition hosted by Beta Alpha Psi and sponsored by Moss Adams. The case is based on a real-life challenge faced by the selected non-profit. Under the current situation, PRWI is in its second virtual year. Students from around the world are selected and teamed up as a consultant to the non-profit and present a solution meeting the needs of the non-profit.  This year, The Volunteer Center in Chicago, Illinois was the chosen non-profit and they had two challenges teams needed to address.

Hear what Wendy had to say about her experience participating in PRWI.

My experience with Project Run With It is definitely a positive, inspirational one. As a team, we drilled down into the details that our client provided and discussed multiple possible solutions. The recommendations that we came up with are tailor-made to match our client’s needs. From brainstorming, assembling, and polishing our presentation, I am impressed by the level of creativity and efficiency that each of my teammates portrayed. For example, one of my teammates had an internship with a firm at a time, but she showed up to each zoom meeting and actively engaged in each discussion. All and all, I really enjoyed PRWI that we not only worked as a team but also demonstrated a willingness to help others.

This is my first time participating in Project Run With It, and I definitely had many takeaways. For instance, I learned how to communicate

my idea effectively but still keeping in mind to respect others’ opinions. Because in the end, we are trying to recommend our clients with a solution that will eventually enhance their business. Even though I might think some ideas are brilliant, we must determine what the best for our client in the current condition is. Factors like budget and staffing must be considered. The team discussion is like a ping pong game where there was much back and forth. Keep in mind to act professionally and respect each other’s ideas.

For future participants, I definitely think PRWI is a great opportunity to meet other dedicated students in the world of accounting and finance. Even though my experience was solely virtual, I still enjoyed the process and how convenient it was to meet anywhere we wanted. In future PRWI or similar competitions, whether in person or virtual, I highly encourage everyone to participate and meet students from all over the country.  For more information regarding Project Run With It: https://www.bap.org/project-run-with-it

Houma, L.a. – (Nov. 18, 2019) – Eleven contestants will pitch their small business ideas as a part of the Bayou Region Pitch Competition hosted by Nicholls State University and Chevron. The Competition will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. in the Duet Building in Houma as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. This worldwide celebration of entrepreneurship brings together approximately 10 million people from over 150 countries to participate in more than 35,000 events every year. 

“We are excited to work with Chevron to host this competition. For us, this is a South Louisiana version of Shark Tank and each of the pitches are specifically designed to fill a local need,” said Dr. Marilyn Macik-Frey, dean of the College of Business Administration. “Our vision as a university is to the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Bayou Region. Helping local entrepreneurs fulfill their dreams is just one of the ways that Nicholls can help impact economic growth in the Bayou Region.”

Each pitch competitor will have five minutes to make their pitch followed by four minutes of questions from the judges. Judges are Dr. Marilyn Macik-Frey, dean of the College of Business Administration; Adrien Maught, instructor of marketing; Dr. Kristine Strickland, Fletcher chancellor; Katherine Gilbert, director of business retention for TEDA; Debi Benoit, director of research and sponsored programs; Amie Barton, an SBA lending specialist with Regions; and Hal Callais, CEO of Callais Capital Management. 

“Through the pitch competition, we hope to provide this group of local entrepreneurs with the resources, feedback and guidance needed to excel in their business ventures,” said Leah Brown, corporate affairs manager for Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. “At Chevron, we’re passionate about supporting the people and ideas that will create a brighter future for Louisiana and our region. We applaud Nicholls for their commitment to innovation.” 

The competition is broken up into two tiers of participants. The first tier are clients of the Nicholls State University Small Business Development Center. The first place winner will receive $15,000, second place winner will receive $10,000 and third place winner will receive $5,000. The second tier is for the general public and Nicholls students. Winners will receive $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000 prizes.  

First tier participants are Erineka Mulligan for D. Mulligan Trucking; Bonnie Soulet for Country Kids Learning Academy; Noah Lirette for Bayou Terrebonne Distillers; John Sewell for Creative Cajun Meal Prep; and Nicole Banks Nikki’s Indulgence. 

Second tier participants are Scott Green for Dat Sauce; Shantelle Abshire and Lah Porche for Root2Rise; Daryl Roy for 3D Media; Michael Conner for Conner’s Repair; Cynthia Moore for Rooted Things; and Troy Guerrero for DigiFX Technology. 

Other sponsors and partners include the Louisiana Small Business Development Center, Fletcher Technical Community College, the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority (TEDA) and Regions Bank. 

For more information on Nicholls State University and this event, visit nicholls.edu/business/

For the fourth year in a row, The Society for Human Resource Management students at Nicholls brought home a big win from the Louisiana State SHRM Case Competition. Nicholls students hold the undefeated title at the state-level by presenting the top real-world business case solution to HR practitioner judges. Members of this year’s team include Kari Guidry, Gracie Bellanger, Taylor Hall, Olivia Lege (Captain) and Amber Brondum.