UB student named best presenter at National Black MBA Association Case Competition

By Kevin Manne

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Faced with the challenge of presenting virtually at the 2020 National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) case competition, University at Buffalo School of Management MBA student Janelle Fore saw an opportunity to differentiate herself and her team. 

“With anything virtual, it can be difficult to keep the audience engaged because ‘Zoom fatigue’ is real,” says Fore.

Her strategy to deliver their solutions more dynamically earned her the Best Presenter award. 

Fore and her UB teammates—Rebekah Depugh, Malkijah Griffiths and Vignesh Kumar Swaminathan— squared off against other MBA candidates from 33 of the nation’s top business schools via remote videoconference for this year’s NBMBAA competition. Over the course of a month, they analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on the automotive industry and then presented those findings to a panel of Fortune 500 executives on Sept. 19.

“Then, my team and I thought of ways to make our presentation more interactive. We asked questions to specific judges to keep them involved, and made a QR code for them to scan that played a video we created to showcase our idea,” says Fore, of Queens, who also earned her bachelor’s in business administration from the School of Management. “That really made a difference.”

Dorothy Siaw-Asamoah, clinical assistant professor of organization and human resources, and Julia Braun, associate director of student services, served as the team’s advisors, helping guide the UB team through their research and presentation techniques.

Fore says the NBMBAA experience was a great stepping stone to future case competitions.

“I’m glad I had the opportunity to participate, build my skills and represent my school,” she says.