Collegiate DECA members from around the globe gathered in San Francisco, California, from April 5-8, 2025, to participate in the annual International Career Development Conference (ICDC). Seven NDSCS DECA members attended the conference. 

This prestigious event showcased the talents and skills of the next generation of business leaders as they competed in various business-related events. Students participated in case studies, presentations, and simulations designed to challenge their knowledge in fields such as marketing, finance, hospitality, management, and entrepreneurship. 

The Collegiate DECA ICDC is more than just a competition. It's an opportunity for students to: 

• Network: Connect with peers, industry professionals, and potential employers.
• Learn: Attend workshops and seminars to enhance their business acumen.
• Grow: Develop leadership skills, build confidence, and gain real-world experience. 

"The International Career Development Conference is the highlight of the year for Collegiate DECA members," said Greg Anderson, NDSCS Collegiate DECA Advisor. "It's a chance to celebrate their hard work, recognize their achievements, and prepare them for success in their future careers. While we did not have any top place winners this year, it was more about these students giving their best effort and growing from that experience." 

Collegiate DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in colleges and universities around the globe. 

NDSCS Business students looking for professional growth and development are highly encouraged to participate in the organization annually. 

Photo Caption: (L-R Zoey Bohnenstingl, Leah Tibbetts, Sumer Roberts, Cooper Klosterman, Addison Gerdon, Ryan Otoole, Nicholas Langenwalter)

Twenty-one North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) Collegiate DECA members showcased their business acumen at the North Dakota Collegiate DECA Career Development Conference held at the Holiday Inn in Fargo on February 13-14, 2025. The competition brought together approximately 85 students from eight colleges and universities across North Dakota. 

Collegiate DECA is an international organization that prepares college and university students for careers in business. The organization’s programming engages students from a variety of academic disciplines, with a focus on business-related areas such as marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. Collegiate DECA activities complement and enhance students’ college curriculum. 

NDSCS students achieved impressive results during the North Dakota Conference, with numerous finalists qualifying to compete at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in San Francisco this April. 

Top award winners in individual events include:

• Torrie Mack – Finalist, Entrepreneurial Operations
• Ryan Otoole – 3rd Place, Entrepreneurial Operations
• Nicholas Langenwalter – 2nd Place, Entrepreneurial Operations
• Addison Gerdon – 2nd Place, Fashion Merchandising and Marketing
• Zoey Bohnenstingl – 3rd Place, Human Resource Management
• Ava Howard – Finalist, Human Resource Management
• Sumer Roberts – 2nd Place, Retail Management
• Nicholas Ulrich – 3rd Place, Retail Management
• Kameron Parker – Finalist, Sales Management and Leadership
• Leah Tibbetts – 2nd Place, Travel and Tourism 

Top team event winners include: 

• Kameron Parker/Ryan Otoole – 3rd Place, Business Ethics
• Ava Howard/Torrie Mack – 2nd Place, Business Ethics
• Sumer Roberts/Seth Kenna – Finalists, Entertainment Marketing
• Addison Gerdon/Leah Tibbetts – 1st Place, Marketing Communications
• Cooper Klosterman/Nicholas Langenwalter – 1st Place, Sports Marketing 

“I was pleased at how well our students performed. As is usually the case, almost all NDSCS Collegiate DECA members are first-year students who have never competed before, going against seasoned juniors and seniors from four-year colleges who have experienced both state and national competitions,” commented Gregory Anderson, the faculty advisor for NDSCS Collegiate DECA. “I will be very proud to see several of our students take the next step at the International Conference in April.” 

Photo caption: 

NDSCS Collegiate DECA students 
(L to R) Front Row: Carley Hoff, Julia Anderson, Ellie Meyer, Zoey Bohenenstingl, Sumer Roberts Middle Row: Jace Johanson, Nicholas Langenwalter; Avery Malme, Kameron Parker, Addison Gerdon, Nicholas Ulrich, Ava Howard, Torrie Mack. Back Row: Cooper Klosterman, Leah Tibbetts, Carson Andel, Seth Kenna, Peyton Kadel, Khouba Toure, Brandon Henderson, Ryan Otoole

Jack Johnson, an ambitious 2nd-year Business Management student at NDSCS is already a successful entrepreneur and business owner.

Jack, a Breckenridge, MN high school graduate has always been an active and motivated individual. During his high school years, Jack gained a wealth of experience working with Summerville Electric and Krump Construction, and had community involvement by coaching youth basketball and football teams.

Johnson's entrepreneurial journey took a significant leap forward when he secured an LLC for his venture, Johnson Auto Detailing, in May 2022, shortly before his high school graduation. Over the past two years, Johnson Auto Detailing has been his sole source of income, demonstrating the results of his dedication and hard work.

As a small business owner, Jack's responsibilities include hands-on service of vehicles, marketing, and financial oversight. His efforts have not only accumulated a social media presence of over 900 followers but have also earned his business multiple nominations for the Spark Plug Award and the Chamber of Service Award by the Wahpeton Chamber of Commerce.

Jack's vision is grand—he's not just running a business; he's laying the groundwork for what he aspires to be a business empire. After graduating from high school, and although he was already a business owner, Jack started at NDSCS to increase his knowledge of business management to continue being successful. His decision to enroll at NDSCS in the fall of 2022 was fueled by the affordability of the institution, and his trust with the College. “I know a lot of people who have gone through NDSCS including some of my older peers. They've expressed to me how they have enjoyed their experience as a whole as well as learned a lot about their degree.”

Jack values in his education at NDSCS and has taken several principles from class with him into his work at Johnson Auto Detailing. He specifically credits knowledge he gained during his Sales class, which through various roleplaying exercises, pushed him to get comfortable talking to customers, and prepared him for dealing with people in difficult situations. This class, among others, have helped Jack apply his knowledge and skills to his business. Jack appreciates that faculty at NDSCS finds fun and engaging ways to teach, which keeps the classroom exciting. Jack has been an active student in the NDSCS Business Management program, including being a National qualifier for DECA.

As Jack continues to balance his studies and his growing business, he is proof that with the right education and support, the possibilities are limitless.

After graduating from NDSCS in May with his Business Management degree, Jack plans to continue to own and operate Johnson Auto Detailing. He will use his educational background to grow in his business experience. And with his drive for success and entrepreneurial spirit, it’s clear that Jack has fantastic opportunities and remarkable success ahead of him.

Learn more about Jack at Johnsonautodetailing.net.

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is proud to announce that thirty-six NDSCS Collegiate DECA members competed at the 2024 North Dakota Collegiate DECA Conference on February 21st and 22nd.

This annual competition brings together some of North Dakota's best and brightest business students from eight different colleges to compete in various business case study events.

Students were entered into one individual event and were also paired up in a team competition. In both experiences, the students were presented with a real-world business problem and then asked to solve the scenario in front of judges. Area Fargo/Moorhead business professionals served as judges for this event. 

NDSCS Collegiate DECA had 28 members qualify to compete at the 2024 International Career Development Conference in Austin, Texas in April.

Top award winners in individual events include:

• Emma Hagemeister (1^st Place) Sales Management and Leadership Event
• Wyatt Rittenhouse (2^nd Place) Retail Management
• Natalia Nazario (2^nd Place) Entrepreneurship Operations
• Madison Hagan (3^rd Place) Travel and Tourism 
• Adnan Rahman (3^rd Place) Entrepreneurship Operations
• Triton Kaercher (3^rd Place) Financial Accounting
• Lucas Allen (3^rd Place) Hotel and Lodging
• Moriah Blazek (3^rd Place) Human Resource Management

Top Team Event Winners Include:

• Kylie Geray and Emma Hagemeister (2nd Place) Business-to-Business Marketing
• Ava Bladow and Corissa Lang (2nd Place) Business Ethics
• Myah Jelinek, Natalia Nazario (2nd Place) Entertainment Marketing
• Lauren Oster and Savannah Puetz (2nd Place) Event Planning
• Moriah Blazek and Taylor Slominski (2nd Place) Marketing Communications
• Lucas Allen and Mathias Kackman (3rd Place) Marketing Communications

Gregory Anderson, the faculty advisor for NDSCS Collegiate DECA, commented “I was pleasantly surprised at how well our students performed. As is usually the case, almost all NDSCS Collegiate DECA members are first-year students who have never competed before, going against seasoned juniors and seniors from four-year colleges who have experienced both state and national competitions. For our students to do well, they had to display a certain level of confidence, and I think that is what showed. I will be very proud to see a number of qualifiers take the next step at the International Conference in Austin, Texas.”

Bailey Adams, a 2022 NDSCS Business Management graduate, is thriving in small-town living and is making a significant impact on her community. The journey to her career, through her education at NDSCS, is unique and is marked by her flexibility and willingness to adapt. During her junior year in high school, Bailey was uncertain about her future and considered joining the military as a potential path forward.

During her senior year in high school, with no concrete college plans after graduation, she registered for the North Dakota Air National Guard. Bailey graduated from Richland 44 high school in 2019.

Basic training for the military wasn't scheduled until the following spring, so Bailey took the opportunity to enroll at NDSCS, during opening weekend in the Fall of 2019. The college's flexibility for late enrollment allowed her to participate in general education courses during that fall semester.

As the Spring of 2020 arrived, Bailey was called away for basic training and specific job training with the military, and was there from March to November, 2020. As she awaited her next military assignment, Bailey decided to enroll for the spring 2021 semester, this time choosing to study Business Management.

During her two years at NDSCS, Bailey formed lasting friendships and participated in campus life, attending athletic competitions and student events. Throughout her time in the Business Management program, Bailey found even more opportunity for her future.

Rebecca Undem, a public speaker and founder of Growing Small Towns, visited NDSCS to deliver a presentation to one of Bailey's classes. Growing Small Towns is a non-profit organization in Oakes, ND, dedicated to helping small towns thrive by facilitating partnerships between local non-profits and larger corporations, helps entrepreneurs start and scale their businesses, and hosts gathering space for various sized meetings and events. Inspired by the presentation and cooperative work on a project for the Oakes community, Bailey secured an internship for Fall 2022.

While in her internship, Bailey contributed to Growing Small Towns in various capacities, from managing social media marketing to updating the company's website. Prior to Bailey’s graduation from NDSCS in December 2022, Rebecca offered her a full-time position, and a more significant role within the organization.

Today, Bailey is an essential part of Growing Small Towns, involved in event planning and coordination, building management, invoicing, and much more. Her role allows her to engage in activities that enrich local communities, from planning meetings and company parties to co-working rentals and even an upcoming fashion show. Her favorite events have been the annual bus trips that bring people from the Fargo area to explore the hidden treasures of North Dakota's small towns.

Bailey attributes much of her success to her education at NDSCS, specifically highlighting the Quickbooks Accounting and Career Seminar courses that equipped her with important skills for both her personal and professional life. Her journey from uncertainty to making a meaningful impact in her small town serves as an inspiring example of the potential that can be unlocked through determination and higher education.