BY CLAIRE PATTERSON / VN STAFF WRITER
A newly established collegiate chapter is coming to Detroit Mercy for students interested in business.
DECA, a national organization with chapters at the college and high school levels, hosts business competitions that help build basic real-world skills.
“DECA is an organization that prepares students in various spheres of the professional world,” said Carrol-Reaser-Parris, student services coordinator.
The organization helps students hone their skills in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
DECA will be overseen on campus by supervisor Reaser-Parris and advisor Evan Peterson.
Many colleges have DECA chapters that compete at regional and national levels.
“You can go to regionals and compete off of an international marketing project that you worked on,” said Sirona Brower, head of human resources and membership.
When you compete, your project can be based off of a 30-page paper you worked on with two other people or role plays based on real-world scenarios where you explain how you would solve a problem.
Once you finish a project, you present it and judges decide if your group will move to the next level.
“The competition starts with regionals, which is in the Midwest, and then from there you move to nationals for the collegiate level,” said Brower.
DECA chapters from Wayne Sate University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University and other Michigan schools compete at the regional level.
If a chapter reaches nationals, the competition is between all collegiate DECA chapters around the country.
“My goal is to work with other VPs in the chapter as we all work together to achieve our common goal: helping Detroit Mercy students grow as leaders and preparing them for their boundless future,” said executive vice president Anne Tartoni.
This organization welcomes all students at Detroit Mercy.
There are no restrictions or requirements for students to join, though there is an entry fee for those who choose to compete.
“These competitions are not mandatory and members are able to join the collegiate DECA chapter without competing,” said Reaser-Parris.
The Detroit Mercy chapter has 15 members but is looking for more.
It meets one to two times a month on campus.
Organizers expect meetings to become more frequent in the fall once competition begins.
Brower said DECA benefits students during job searches.
“A lot of companies partner with DECA and it is great to have on your resume,” she said.
For information on joining, email browersb@udmercy.edu.
