CIBED’s Bobcat Consulting Group shines at World Cup Case Competition

The Center for International Business Education and Development’s (CIBED’s) Bobcat Consulting Group (BCG) was awarded third place at the Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition (SG-FECC), which was hosted at the University of Vermont Tuesday, Jan. 7 through Saturday, Jan. 11.

Teams from around the world including the USA, Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, Mexico and Germany were charged with creating innovative solutions to complex business challenges during this four-day event.

The Bobcat student organization is co-mentored by Dr. Andrew Pueschel, Stephanie Sharp and George Howell. Howell, a student success advisor in Business Academic Advising and Career Services, traveled with the team to mentor them throughout the competition.

“These Bobcats embody the mission of the College of Business,” said Howell. “They are agile, gritty, bettering the world of business, and I cannot wait to see what they do next!”

As this was only the second time the BCG participated in this competition, the team’s current success and development over the past year has had both an immediate and lasting impact.

“It was amazing to gain feedback from the judges and utilize it to become better each day,” said BCG Co-President Cam Lewis. “I’m so proud of the growth and work we put in, and I’m looking forward to putting these skills into action post-graduation!”

In addition, Lewis’ teammate, Kevin Diaz-Ordonez commented, “I had the most fun working alongside my teammates, bouncing ideas off each other and presenting our recommendations to family business experts. I now feel more comfortable in my public speaking abilities because of this experience.”

OHIO programs provide students with valuable experience

The team’s accomplishment highlights the value of experiential learning through consulting-based skill development programming—both inside and outside of the classroom. CIBED’s consulting-focused academic opportunities, such as the Global Consulting Program and the OHIO International Consulting Program set the foundation for organizations like BCG, and additional programming, to enhance student success at Ohio University.

Also in attendance at the competition was Sharp, CIBED’s director of operations and student development and coordinator of CIBED’s Muck Family Global Case Competition. Inspired by the team’s accomplishments and the overall quality of the event’s organization, she is ready to take the OHIO-based event to the next level.

“Experiencing the SG-FECC firsthand provided me with valuable insights,” said Sharp, “and the knowledge necessary to grow the Muck Family Global Case Competition into a national, and eventually a global competition.”

“I could not be prouder of our Bobcat Consulting Group and our CIBED support team,” said Pueschel, who is the CIBED director. “These student consultants are proof of what can happen when we provide resources to organizations that are passionate about their future success, and we are grateful for the Muck Family’s ongoing gift that helps us make this support possible.”

The Second Annual Muck Family Global Case Competition will be held in Spring of 2026. Students interested in joining the Bobcat Consulting Group can reach out to Co-Presidents Brandon Shinkawa (bs399921@ohio.edu) and/or Cam Lewis (cl694720@ohio.edu).