The Goff Strategic Leadership Center and the Office for Student Inclusion at the David Eccles School of Business recently hosted the 2022 Inclusion & Business Strategy Case Competition.

Sponsored by Dominion Energy, this annual competition allows students to strengthen their skills and work within a team to solve a business case focused on inclusion.

This year’s challenge came from Versatile Image, a local company that creates a medium between diversity through the arts and the economic growth of urban communities. Students explored a new initiative, a co-working space for Black and brown creatives to find ways to support themselves, learn how to make and manage money, and take advantage of opportunities where their services will help elevate the economic growth of the communities they represent.

Eleven student teams developed ideas and recommendations to address this challenge, including membership offerings, creative partnerships, and even suggesting real locations for the co-working space where creatives could see their ideas come to life. In addition, the teams used their creativity, personal experiences, and knowledge of the business world to pitch ideas that they deemed valuable for Versatile Image. The results were not only unique but also incredibly impressive.

Goff is proud to co-host an impactful collaboration between our students and Versatile Image. Hands-on learning solicits transformational experiences from our students and project clients. Students became the drivers of their own impact through the competition and used strategic thinking to reach their goals.

Congratulations to the winners!

First place: Swoop Strategy

  • Abraham Bunting
  • Jens Nilson
  • Liz Miller

Second place: Team Artist

  • David Kale
  • Alex Riches
  • Rithwik Harapanahalli

Third place: The Visionaries

  • Andrew Young
  • Cathleen Zhang
  • Daren Thai
  • Zuri Vasquez
  • Ashley Thai

About the author

Chloe Carr is a marketing major at the David Eccles School of Business. She currently serves as Lead Ambassador for the Goff Strategic Leadership Center.