Since joining DECA in 2014, Ensign College students have progressively topped their 4-year university counterparts, finishing with their best ever results at the 2022 International Career Development Conference (ICDC). Their first year competing in a live national event, fifteen of the 2-year college’s seventeen participating students moved on to the final presentation in the Preliminary DECA Awards.
Final results of this year’s competition, which took place April 9-12, 2022, revealed first place awards for Ensign College in Business Research (Rebekah Asagra and David Molina); Entrepreneurship Growing Your Business (Kilee Popham); Financial Accounting (Joseph Fannery); and Retail Management (Sanna Weggersen). Ensign College also achieved second place in Business Ethics (Xavier Rittscher and Eri Dervishi); and third place in International Marketing (Julio Ferreiro and Gustavo Pereira) and Professional Sales (Anthony Hovey).
Several more Ensign participants were also recognized for finishing in the top ten for their events; in Advertising Campaign (Skyler Hall and Iris Burgos); Emerging Technology Marketing Strategies (Vivian Filizola) and Corporate Finance (Rafael Dias).
Many Ensign College participants find that the College’s Christ-centered approach to education translates to success in challenging situations such as the ICDC. Second place winner Xavier Rittscher explains, “My opportunity to participate at DECA/ICDC helped me become a more trusted and capable disciple of Jesus Christ. The same principles that we learn from the gospel can be applied to our daily actions or business solutions.” After applying the process of repentence to resolving a business conflict presented in one of his case studies, Francisco said, “The biggest take away for me was to know that we are never alone, that we represent our Savior not only at our case studies problem-solving but by any moment by always doing what is right.”
Ensign College DECA facilitator Brent Andrus said, “The advance preparation (both spiritual and academic) required to excel in these competitive events is intense—with applied projects students connecting with mentors and clients, and practicing presentations more than 6 months ahead of the competition. Each and every award earned reflects a tremendous amount of effort, skill and teamwork—all traits that flourish in the skills-focused approach at Ensign College.”
In its efforts to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs to be career-ready, DECA hosts annual competitions on the high school and collegiate level. With hundreds of competitors from both 2- and 4- year institutions participating in collegiate events, the competition is fierce.
Third place winner Anthony Hovey said, “DECA is an inspired program that gave me real life competitive business experience. ICDC helped me to see that I am just as capable as any top tier university student to achieve all things through Christ who is the center of all knowledge.”
For more information about Ensign College, please contact Kirk Rawlins at 801-524-1902.
About Ensign College
Founded in 1886 and located at the Triad Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Ensign College is a private school within the Church Educational System operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Offering professional certificates, associate degrees, and now a limited number of bachelor’s degrees, the school’s mission is to develop capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ.
The college offers immersive learning and intensive career preparation for students from around the globe, both in-person and online. The school’s unique “deep learning” curriculum, championed by college President Bruce C. Kusch (2017– ), fosters within students the capability, competence, and confidence to enter the workplace and become self-reliant.