WATERVILLE, MAINE, March 2025— Thomas College students won top awards for the eighth year in a row in this year’s Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) International Business Conference this past weekend in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Thomas College team made up of undergraduate and graduate students earned various team and individual awards this year. For overall team recognition in the open division, they placed 2nd and 3rd place in the undergraduate division. The written case competition undergraduate division team placed 3rd and 2nd place for case presentation undergrad division. In the case presentation open division, they earned 1st place.
For individual awards, Jade Crowell placed 2nd place for overall individual recognition and 2nd overall for the knowledge bowl open division. Rossalyn Buck placed 2nd for extemporaneous speech undergraduate division and Kayle Weber finished 4th place for knowledge bowl undergraduate division.
The Thomas College student team was coached by Thomas College professors Dr. Rick Saucier, Dr. Jono Anzalone, and Dr. Alyssa Dassa.
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 Rossalyn Buck, of Mapleton, ME; Caleb Daigneault, of Cornville, ME; Brooke Blockler, of Sangerville, ME; Shawn Von Oesen, of Unity, ME; Krista Staples, of Morrill, ME; Kayla Weber, of Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey; Jade Crowell, of Greene, ME; Preston Moody, of Winslow, ME; and Cole Ellis, of Searsport, ME, competed in categories consisting of a written case study, a case study presentation, a business knowledge bowl, and an extemporaneous speech.
“The students’ strong work ethic prior to the competitions allowed them to put together effective presentations that were recognized by the judges. Other colleges and members of SAM commented on the maturity and professionalism that the Thomas College students brought to the competitions. Jade was especially noticed by the President and officers of SAM for the breadth and depth of her business knowledge. Once again, our business students have proven they can compete with anyone, anywhere,” said advisor and Thomas College professor Dr. Rick Saucier.
“My teammates and I put in so much time and effort preparing for our competitions, so seeing it all pay off like this feels amazing,” said Rossalyn Buck. “Thomas College has equipped me with the skills and resources to perform well in the classroom and then apply them to real-world scenarios as presented at the competition.”
“Overall, SAM was truly a wonderful experience I am grateful to have participated in. These wins will look impressive on our resumes and can really show potential employers the level of business Thomas students are capable of succeeding in. We got to travel, show off our skills, interact with other high performance business schools, and received an experience you will struggle to find anywhere else,” said Shawn Von Oesen.
“Being surrounded by so many intelligent students and advisors forced me to really put my best foot forward and brought the best out of me. I could sense the same feeling in my teammates as well so being able to see my friends and teammates rise to another level made me proud,” said Caleb Daigneault.
“Winning multiple awards at SAM was very rewarding because we were competing against many schools bigger than Thomas College,” said Krista Staples.
“It feels great to be winners of this international competition. Competing at an international competition like SAM and coming out as winners shows our ability to stand out among students from all around the world,” said Kayla Weber. “Thomas College created a strong foundation of knowledge that helped to prepare us better for the competition. Also, the support from various professors really played a big role in our success.”
“Thomas College has helped guide me into a position of confidence that has allowed me to compete at this national level,” said Preston Moody.
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. Learn more about the H. Allen Ryan School of Business.
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, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok.