Seven DECA students earn top honors at annual regional competition held online
Seven DECA students earn top honors at annual regional competition held online
February 19, 2021
Seven students from the Community College of Rhode Island’s Collegiate DECA group
earned first-place awards in this year's annual Northeast Regional Competition, held
virtually at Johnson & Wales University for the first time due to the ongoing pandemic.
Collegiate DECA is a national organization for college students preparing for careers
in marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. Founded in 1946, DECA has more than
225,000 members and more than 200 collegiate chapters with a goal of enhancing each
student’s college curriculum while providing networking opportunities for club members
due to its close ties with the business community. DECA also promotes self-reliance
and cooperative leadership in addition to helping students make informed career choices
while fostering high ethical standards in business.
The Northeast Regionals allow students to put their classroom experience and knowledge
to the test in analyzing real-world scenarios. Case studies are designed to measure
a broad range of knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified by business and industry
professionals as essential to career success. Overall, eight CCRI students – six of
whom had never participated in a DECA competition prior to this year – competed in
events in the following industry tracks: Accounting, Entrepreneurship Operations,
Sales Manager Meeting, and Restaurant and Food Service Management. The competition
included a pre-event online exam followed by a case study in which they presented
their findings to judges comprised of various industry professionals via a live online
platform.
Medals were awarded for top exam score, top case study, and top overall score, which
combines both the exam and the case study. CCRI students earned the following awards:
Christine Williams, Providence, RI; First Place Overall (combined exam and case study)
and Top Exam Score, Restaurant and Food Service Management
Tina Taylor, Warwick, RI; First Place Case Study, Restaurant and Food Service Management
Austin O’Meara, Bristol, CT; First Place Overall (combined exam and case study) and
Top Exam Score, Sales Management Meeting
Andrew Sok, Warwick, RI; Top Exam Score, Entrepreneurship Operations
Jose Clase, Providence, RI; First Place Case Study, Entrepreneurship Operations
Jennyfer Aquino, Providence, RI; First Place Overall (combined exam and case study),
Entrepreneurship Operations
Joseph Ozuna, Providence, RI; Fourth Place, Entrepreneurship Operations
Leiny Tapia, Middletown, RI; First Place Case Study (tie), Financial Accounting
The top winners in the regional competition have earned the opportunity to compete
in the annual DECA International Career Development Conference in April – originally
scheduled to be held in Texas, but now presented virtually – where they will have
the opportunity to earn DECA awards, medallions, and scholarships.
“The pandemic has changed our normal daily lives, but our students really embraced
this new virtual competition platform,” said CCRI Business Administration Professor
and Collegiate DECA Advisor Joanne Orabone. “During the entire week leading up to
the event, they met virtually with me on a nightly basis to practice analyzing and
presenting case studies. Their hard work and dedication paid off. Collegiate DECA
continues to help change students’ lives and helps them achieve their dreams.”
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When an opportunity presented itself, Max Hayden took it and ran with it. Hayden initially focused on behind-the-scenes work for CCRI’s theater program. But after accepting and thriving in the lead role for the school’s Yellowman production in 2023, Hayden became a fixture of the school’s theater program over the last two years.
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June 04, 2025
If you love art or science, and especially if you love both, you’ll want to visit CCRI’s Lincoln Campus this month. Throughout the spring, CCRI Art & Design students collaborated with CCRI STEM professors and students to create original, science-inspired art projects. Funded by a $15,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR initiative, this collaboration highlights creative potential that emerges when these two disciplines meet.
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June 02, 2025
Nearly 30 years after beginning his CCRI education, 76-year-old Ed McGuirl is about to check the final box on his long, fascinating résumé. In the mid-1990s, the Jamestown resident studied at CCRI to pursue a social services degree that would complement his work as a substance-abuse treatment professional. But a busy work schedule forced McGuirl to indefinitely pause his studies – until now.
The Community College of Rhode Island announces its Spring 2025 Dean's List. Students enrolled in a degree program who have completed 12 credits with a grade point average of 3.25 or higher thissemester with no grade lower than “C” are eligible for this scholastic honor.
'Overjoyed' CCRI Graduate Opens Up On Getting Engaged At Commencement'
May 23, 2025
Warwick, RI -- Samantha Lescarbeau knew she would experience one life-changing event at CCRI commencement. But she never expected what would happen after she walked across the stage at Amica Mutual Pavillion on May 15.