Stetson Hosts Templeton Business Ethics Case Competition

Cory Lancaster March 4, 2018

The annual Templeton Business Ethics Case Competition was held recently at Stetson University on Feb. 22-23. Undergraduate students from invited institutions across the country had the opportunity to analyze and present arguments on a contemporary business issue tied to financial, legal and ethical issues.

Through the generous support of Troy and Sissy Templeton, the Stetson Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, within the School of Business Administration, sponsors the Templeton Case Competition each spring. Russel and Elin Kunz, Stetson University, Boulevard Tire Center, SAGE Publishing and Schrimsher Properties were contributing sponsors of the event.

Group shot of the four of them holding a large check for $2,000 for winning.
Campbell University students Sarah Page and Dylan Blackburn, alongside Troy and Sissy Templeton, receive a cash prize after placing first in the Templeton Business Ethics Case Competition held at Stetson University.

Teams from these 16 institutions participated in the 2018 competition:

  • Belmont University
  • Bethune-Cookman University
  • Campbell University
  • Clemson University
  • Elon University
  • Florida Gulf Coast University
  • Florida Southern College
  • Florida State University
  • Georgetown University
  • Iowa State University
  • Jacksonville University
  • St. Petersburg College
  • United States Naval Academy
  • University of Calgary
  • University of Florida
  • University of North Dakota

After receiving the case, teams were given two weeks to prepare and submit an executive summary and a visual presentation. During the event, teams made an oral presentation to a panel of judges. Bracket winners then delivered a final eight-minute oral presentation to the entire body of judges in a plenary session including all conference attendees, members of the Stetson University community and the public.

Campbell University students placed first in the Competition with University of Calgary taking second place, University of Florida coming in third, and Belmont University securing fourth place.  The top four teams received cash prizes and trophies.

Representatives from top companies across Central Florida volunteered their time to serve as judges for the two-day competition, including: Bobbi Baugh, Independent Studio Artist; Yvonne Chang, Director, Club Management and Regulatory Affairs, Disney Vacation Club; Randall Croom, Assistant Professor of Management, Stetson University; Helena Dabrowski, Director of Finance, Sunshine Ace Hardware; Paul Dascher, Retired Dean, Stetson University School of Business Administration; Theo Etzel, CEO and Owner, Conditioned Air; Rick Fletcher Attorney; Founding Director, Grace Medical Home, Orlando; Brent Gibbs, Principal Counsel, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, U.S.; Elin Kunz, Certified Health Care Compliance Specialist (Head Judge); Steve Schrimsher, Partner, Schrimsher Properties; Barb Button Shepherd, CEO and Publisher, West Volusia Beacon; and Areti Vogel, Visiting Assistant Professor of Management, Stetson University.

“The Templeton Business Ethics Case Competition is a wonderful example of the transfer of learned course material to a real-world setting. The use of concrete, actual business dilemmas in the cases analyzed by student participants prompts a level of learning that significantly supplements students’ curricular programs in business education,” explained Jim Beasley, Ph.D., professor of management and co-director of the event. “Over the past four years, the Templeton has become a premier program of experiential learning for business students from universities in the United States and Canada.”

-Marie Dinklage