The King’s College Business Students Rank with Best in the World

A team from The King’s College defeated more than 1,760 business students worldwide to reach the finals in an international mockup of real-world business challenges, the Capsim Business Simulation Global Challenge in Chicago last month. They were one of only 12 teams to qualify for the 48-hour, high-pressure business simulation play-offs.

Each competition simulation puts students in realistic decision-making roles as they run a multi-million dollar company. The simulation covers finance, marketing, product development, labor negotiations, and human resources issues.

Adam Brill and Joanne Vo, Business Management majors at The King’s College, first experienced business simulations in Professor Dawn Fotopulos’s Business Strategies class. Although the challenge was not graded, the King’s class dedicated significant time to the simulation in anticipation of the competition.

“I enjoyed the challenge, and we learned to test our assumptions in each round,” said Adam. “During the class, we learned from our mistakes—including running out of cash once—and developed checklists to aid us.

The challenge, Adam said, helped to prepare him for the workforce because “I have a better grasp on business theories as they are used in practice – I am all the more confident in my education.”

Adam, who graduated this month, is an Audit Intern at BKD CPAs & Advisors in Indianapolis, IN. In addition, he plans to attend the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis).

Business students from 36 countries competed in the Capsim Challenge with finalists coming from Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, India, Lebanon, and the United States. Finalists have proven their business skills on a global platform and can use their experience to impress future employers.

“Employers look for proof of business acumen,” said Dan Smith, Capsim President. “According to a recent Guardian newspaper survey, of the top ten skills employers look for in graduate recruits, the number one is ‘business sense.’ The survey showed while only 10% of graduates rated ‘business sense’ highly, 50% of employers said it was a ‘vital skill.’”

At The King’s College, an emphasis is put on the practical application of knowledge – students learn to understand society as they develop Christian character, so that they can challenge, change, and improve our culture, especially in key areas like Business and Finance. Challengles like Capsim provide students with tangible experience to take into the workplace.

In the heart of New York City, The King’s College is an accredited, Christian liberal arts college. Through the truths of Christianity and great works in politics, philosophy, and economics, we are educating the next generation of principled leaders for America.