Student Competition Award

ABC invites undergraduate students to enter an annual contest for the Student Competition Award by submitting a written response to a case scenario. The winning entries will receive a plaque at the annual ABC conference. The 1st place winner will receive $300; the 2nd and 3rd place winners will also be recognized with a monetary award. The winning student's instructor will be announced at the annual conference. The Student Competition Committee is responsible for the Student Competition Award.

The Student Competition Award is sponsored by Communication Partners and Barbara Shwom.

2025 Case

ABC Members, do you use a fun and challenging business communication case for an assignment? Consider submitting your case to serve as the competition case for the 2025 Student Competition!

The Student Competition Committee looks for cases that ask students to be audience-centric and persuade their receiver to take a course of action, all while using a professional tone and style in a relatively brief message. Past winning cases have asked students to do things like incorporate evidence to make a recommendation, navigate complex interpersonal contexts to send bad news, motivate employees to tackle challenging tasks, and more. You can see many of the past cases and winning student submissions below.

All submitted cases are blind-reviewed and rated by the Student Competition Committee members. 

If you have a great case to share, please submit it by Friday, November 22 [form coming soon]. The case winner and case will be announced in mid-December 2024. 

Student Competition Submission

The Student Competition Committee is currently soliciting case submissions for the 2025 Student Competition. The case will be posted here, along with submission instructions, by mid-December 2024. 

Once the case is posted, student submissions will be accepted until a mid-May deadline. Student submitters must be sponsored by an ABC member and should have been enrolled in a business communication course taught by the sponsor during the academic year preceding the competition deadline (e.g., AY 24-25 for the 2025 Student Competition). 

Criteria

Submissions may be made by any Association member on behalf of a student in the member's business communication or other appropriate course.

The winning entries will:

  1. Exhibit a clear understanding of the audience, use an appropriate tone and style, and establish the desired relationship.
  2. Accomplish the purpose of the message by stating a clear position on the issue and supporting that position with logical points/sub-points, insightful reasons, and/or persuasive examples.
  3. Be well-organized and easy to follow, with smooth transitions and headings/bullets/numbered items (if appropriate.)
  4. Demonstrate superior mastery of vocabulary and superior facility with conventions (i.e., grammar, usage, and mechanics) of standard written English.
  5. Use an appropriate format and professional document design.

The submission requires:

  • Student's Name
  • Student's Email Address
  • Student's University/College
  • Course Number and Title. (Students must be enrolled in the sponsoring member's business communication or other appropriate course during the academic year preceding the competition deadline.)
  • File Upload - Upload the contest entry as PDF file. Be sure to remove all identifying information.

Notification

Winners will be notified by the Student Competition Committee chair approximately 90 days before the conference.  At that time, instructors will be asked to upload a file with a signed release from the student indicating: "I give permission for Association for Business Communication and Business Communication Research Foundation to use my name and document for educational or publicity purposes." Sponsors of winning entries will also be asked to submit details, including additional contact information and photographs of both the student and the faculty sponsor. Do not upload such files until requested.

Question?

If you have a question about the Student Competition Award or submission, contact the Student Competition chair, Ashly Smith.

Previous Winners

Year

Case

Case Writer

Student Winners

Faculty Sponsor

2024

From Microsoft to New Heights Tech:
The Case of Wearable Technology in the Workplace

Rachel Dolechek, Fort Hays State University

2023

Communicating with Customers and Employees: The Case of the Late Lifeguard

Cynthia Conn and co-author Randle D. Raggio, University of Richmond

1st place: Tolu Adetola, University of Pennsylvania (click for entry)

2nd place: Summer Sledzieski, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (click for entry)

3rd place: Angela Ge, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (click for entry)

1st place: Chris Morse, University of Pennsylvania

2nd place: Michael Meredithm, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

3rd place: Jenna Haugen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2021, 2022

None

2020

On-Call Work Stress

Thomas Stoffer, Ferris State University

1st place: John Boyar, University of South Carolina (click for entry)

2nd place: Taylor Wildman, Sam Houston State University (click for entry)

3rd place: Kendall Salas, University of Southern California (click for entry)

1st place: Bethany Tisdale, University of South Carolina

2nd place: Dana Bible, Sam Houston State University

3rd place: Lindsey Bier, University of Southern California

2019

Quail Creations Point of Sale System

Laura Barrett
University of Kansas

1st place: Daniel Hodges, University of Louisville (click for entry)

2nd place: Sara Romney, Brigham Young University (click for entry)

3rd place: Miranda Matthews, Suffolk University (click for entry)

1st place: Zachary Goldman, University of Louisville

2nd place: Marianna Richardson, Brigham Young University

3rd place: Liane Czirjak, Suffolk University

2018

Turning Point for David

Andy Spackman
Brigham Young University

1st place: Kylan Rutherford, Brigham Young University (winning entry)

2nd place: Claudia Hebert, University of Minnesota,  Twin Cities (entry)

3rd place: Jasmyne Dias, Suffolk University (entry)

1st place: Marianna Richardson, Brigham Young University

2nd place: Jeremy Rosselot-Merritt, Universiy of Minnesota, Twin Cities

3rd place: Sarah Mellen, Suffolk University

2017

Linking In

Kelly Grant
Tulane University

1st place: Roshni Verma, UNC at Chapel Hill (winning entry)

2nd place: Kylan Rutherford, Brigham Young University (entry)

3rd place: Tyler Tonnesen, UNC at Chapel Hill (entry)

1st place: Michael Meredith, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2nd place: Marianna Richardson, Brigham Young University

3rd place: Michael Meredith, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2016

What Did IT Say?

Susan Luck
Pfiffer University

1st place: Lauren Holcomb, Auburn University (entry)

2nd place: Kimberly Ostiller, University of Southern California (entry)

3rd place: Lee Richardson, University of Arkansas (entry)

1st place:  Robyn Sexton, University of North Georgia

2nd place:  Yolanta Aritz, University of Southern California

3rd place: Sara Clements, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

2015

Turning Up The Heat On Wind River Farms

Lucia S. Sigmar

Sam Houston State University

1st place: Audrey Wilson, Northern Kentucky University (entry)

2nd place: Katherine Shaw, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (entry)

3rd place: Taylor York, Stephen F. Austin State University (entry)

1st place:  Janel Bloch, Northern Kentucky University

2nd place:  Michael Meredith, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

3rd place:  Carol Wright, Stephen F. Austin State University

2014

(Please Don’t) Reply All

 

Franziska Macur
Bethany College

1st place: Shannon Nolan, Temple University (winning entry)

2nd place: Katelyn Standley, Stephen F. Austin State University (entry)

3rd place: Joshua Maier, University of Cincinnati

1st place:  Jessica Renaud, Temple University

2nd place:  Carol Wright, Stephen F. Austin State University

3rd place:  Elizabeth Keri, University of Cincinnati

2013

FACEbook War

Cynthia E. Conn

Elon University

1st place: Nina del Valle, Temple University (winning entry)

2nd place: Alyssa Gutierrez, University of Florida

3rd place: Lacy Culpepper, Dixie State University

1st place:  Jessica Renaud, Temple University

2nd place: Fiona Barnes, University of Florida

3rd place: Florence Bacabac, Dixie State University

2012

Colonnade Hotel and Resort

Amy Newman & Sherri Kimes

Cornell University

1st place: Kristen Brews, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill  (winning entry)

2nd place: Christina Sukhu, Washington University

3rd place: Jesse Furukawa, Temple University

1st place - Michael Meredith, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

2nd place - Barbara Cannon, Washington University

3rd place - Jessica Renaus, Temple University

2011

Southern Life Insurance: Sexual Harassment Policy

Cynthia E. Conn

Texas Tech University

1st place: Andrew Burnett, University of Southern California (winning entry)

2nd place: Andrew Hess, Philadelphia Biblical University;

3rd place: Suzanne Peckham, University of Tennessee at Martin

1st place - Jolanta Aritz, University of Southern California

2nd place - Gail Benchener, Philadelphia Biblical University

3rd place -

2010

Dawson & Engels: Request Refusal

Kathy Rentz

University of Cincinnati

1st place: Tony Bloemer, Northern Kentucky University (winning entry)

2nd place: Iris Zhang, University of Florida

3rd place: Susan Hanover, Indiana University

1st place - Janel Bloch, Northern Kentucky University

2nd place - Fiona Barnes, University of Florida
3rd place - Adam Herman, Indiana University

2009

National Logistics: Request for Training

Gary L. May

Clayton State University

1st place: Joshua Lindauer, West Chester University (winning entry)

2nd place: Kalyn Fox, Eastern Kentucky University (entry)

3rd place: Claire Arritola, University of Miami (entry)

1st place - Judith Scheffler, West Chester University

2nd place - Marcel Robles, Eastern Kentucky University

3rd place - Larissa Ramos and Adina Sanchez Garcia, University of Miami

2008

Corporate Downsizing

Judith Biss
Stephen F. Austin State University

1st place: Nicole Thomas, University of Florida

2nd place: Sonia Camacho, Georgia State University

3rd place: Ashley Kresky, West Chester University

1st place - Fiona Barnes, University of Florida

2nd place - Jan Costello, Georgia State University

3rd place - Judith Scheffler, West Chester University

2007

Brookhaven National Lab: Communication Plan

Adapted from Maria Eichmans Cochran,
Iowa State University

1st place: Julie Ryan, Iowa State University (winning entry)

2nd place: Adena Strickland, Arkansas Tech University

3rd place: Andrea Allan, Arkansas Tech University

1st place - Anish Dave, Iowa State University

2nd place - Slavica Kodish, Arkansas Tech University

3rd place - Slavica Kodish, Arkansas Tech University

2006

 “Kraft a Healthy Lifestyle” Campaign to Mitigate Negative Media

 

1st place: Kimberly Holker, University of Florida (winning entry)

2nd place: Debra Ritter, DeVry University

3rd place: Christopher Laden, University of Florida

1st place - Fiona Barnes, University of Florida

2nd place - Barbara Hamilton, DeVry University

3rd place - Fiona Barnes, University of Florida

2005

Shoemann's In-Basket Exercise

Adapted from Dale Cyphert, University of Northern Iowa

1st place: Courtney Swartwout, Western Carolina University (winning entry)

2nd place: Adam King, Missouri Western State College

3rd place: George Moore IV, Georgia State University

1st place - Rita Noel, Western Carolina University

2nd place - Carol Roever, Missouri Western State College

3rd place - Jan Costello, Georgia State University

2004

 Nike Case

Gayle Vogt, California State University, Fullerton

1st place: Adam Tindel, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Heidi Schultz, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

2003

Custom Research Services: New HQ

Deborah Valentine
Emory University

1st place: Lauren Duke, Indiana University

Diana McKowen, Indiana University

2002

 Winter Storm

 

1st place: Anna Culhane, University of Southern California (winning response)

Sandra Chrystal, University of Southern California