WATERVILLE, MAINE, March 2023— Thomas College students won top awards once again in this year’s Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM): 2023 International Business Conference this past weekend in Nashville.
The Thomas College team placed first place for the written case study competition, third place in the knowledge bowl, third place in the case study presentation competition, and third place in the overall competition. Additionally, Dmitry Hodsdon placed second in the virtual business pitch competition, and Daniel Brewer placed 3rd overall in the individual competition. They were coached by Thomas College professors Dr. Dan Leland and Dr. Rick Saucier.
This annual series of competitions, reaching back over 40 years, is organized by the Society for Advancement of Management, the oldest management organization in the country, and provides an opportunity for students to showcase existing skills and further develop fundamental skills for business success. College students from across the globe compete each year.
The full Thomas College team of Daniel Brewer, of Casco, ME; Gwyn Perlmutter, of Springfield, MA; Grace Johnson, of Houlton, ME; Tanner Herrick, of Norway, ME; Dmitry Hodsdon, of Belfast, ME; and Addison Landon, of Bangor, ME, competed in categories consisting of a case study presentation, a written case study, an extemporaneous speech, a business pitch, and a knowledge bowl.
“The results of the 2023 international business competition speak to the Thomas College student team’s poise, confidence, and especially their preparation. Their recognition in a national setting demonstrates the quality of education they are receiving at Thomas College. Our students can compete with anyone, anywhere,” said Thomas College professor and competition advisor Dr. Rick Saucier
This is the sixth year in a row that Thomas College students have placed in the SAM competition.
“I’m excited because we succeeded so much as a small school. Many of our competitors were massive universities and came with teams upward of twenty students. Knowing that our team of five was able to beat such intimidating opponents is amazing,” said student competitor Landon.
Another student competitor Johnson said, “Our team has worked really hard over the past month to prepare for the competition, and we worked especially hard on the written case study. To see our hard work pay off with a first place finish in the written case is absolutely amazing.”
“I just want to again thank Thomas, our advisors, and the rest of my team for this opportunity,” said competitor Brewer. “It’s a feeling like no other, and an eye-opening experience of what we have accomplished.”
Thomas College’s H. Allen Ryan School of Business is award-winning and has undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting, business administration, entrepreneurship, management and more.
About Thomas College
Thomas College, located in beautiful Waterville, Maine, is defining what it means to be the College of the Future. With a strong commitment to innovation, career readiness, and community partnerships, Thomas College is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of Maine’s top colleges for social mobility. Our distinctive Guaranteed Job Program™, accelerated undergraduate degrees, and flexible graduate programs empower students to advance faster in business, entrepreneurship, education, technology, applied STEM, and arts & science fields. At Thomas, belonging isn’t a buzzword; it’s a promise. We create a supportive, welcoming environment where every student is seen, valued, and prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world. For more information visit thomas.edu or contact MacKenzie Riley Young at [email protected] or 207-859-1313. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok.