Four Bachelor of Public Relations students represented Conestoga in the PrimeTime Sports Business Competition in Toronto on November 9 and 10, advancing to the semi-final round.
A team of four Bachelor of Public Relations students represented Conestoga in the PrimeTime Sports Business Competition in Toronto, advancing to the semi-final round.
The 17th Annual PrimeTime Sports Conference and Trade Show, presented by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and PrimeTime Sports & Entertainment, included the competition that drew student teams from academic institutions across Canada. This year’s case focused on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and how to immerse these practices into every facet of business operations.
Students were given the unknown case at 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 9 and given until 11:59 p.m. to prepare a 15-minute presentation addressing the problem. As one of the few college teams in the competition, Conestoga students Jonathan Dixon, Stephen Kenny, Tyson Hill and Stan Shust applied real-time learning from their Corporate Social Responsibility course and other public relations courses as they presented their case solutions to a panel of judges. After advancing through the first round of the competition, the team presented a second revised solution in the semi-finals, placing in the Top 4 overall.
“Co-curricular opportunities such as this help enhance the learning experience and allow us to apply our skills outside of the classroom,” said Dixon, team captain and a fourth-year degree student. “The short time frame of the competition really challenges you to use what you know and the skills you have acquired in school to provide the best possible solution to the problem.”
Team member and fourth-year student Stephen Kenny said course work prepared the students well. “The real client work we have completed in our degree gave us an edge and helped us advance to the semi-finals, beating out degree and post-graduate university teams from across Canada in the first two rounds.”
The conference also provided additional professional development opportunities for the students with panels comprised of industry professionals presenting on topics such as developing strong corporate partnerships and integrating EDI into organizations.
“One of the things I have most valued in my time here at Conestoga is the focus on experiential learning,” Dixon said. “These experiences allow us to apply what we’ve been taught to real world scenarios, enhancing our learning and confidence.”
Conestoga’s Bachelor of Public Relations degree, now the Bachelor of Communications Management for incoming students, helps students prepare for the communications field by developing strong written, verbal and digital communication skills and helping them think strategically in response to complex issues.
The degree is delivered by the School of Interdisciplinary Studies.