Students win big at regional computer information systems competition

May 3, 2019 | Events, News, UToday, Business and Innovation
By Chase M. Foland



A team of UToledo students in the College of Business and Innovation nearly completed a sweep at the Computer Information Systems Project and Case Competition last month at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

Rebecca Church, Jillian Jennings, John Lee, Ryan Kile and Josh Teachey — all information systems majors — took first place in the case and overall categories, and came in second in the project category.

“Students spent the past 14 weeks preparing for the event at Ball State,” said Teresa Keefe, Distinguished University Lecturer in Information, Operations and Technology Management. “They worked on a real-world IT project for our own University Libraries to deliver an IT solution around records management.”

UToledo students majoring in information systems, from left, Rebecca Church, John Lee, Jillian Jennings, Josh Teachey and Ryan Kile, posed for a photo with their awards at the Computer Information Systems Project and Case Competition.

The team presented its project to judges April 13. In addition, the team was asked to analyze a business case and present its findings and recommendations to a panel of industry judges.

“The event challenges the students in so many ways. First, they do real work for a real problem,” Keefe said. “Next, they deliver a polished presentation in a high-stake setting — and are asked to defend elements of the design and/or implementation.”

This is the best a UToledo team has done in the eight years of this competition. Keefe and Dr. Steve Wallace, assistant professor in the Department of Information, Operations and Technology Management, are proud of the students’ performance.

“The level of success achieved by this team only comes with an incredible amount of dedication, determination and a relentless pursuit of excellence,” Keefe said.

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