When a Purchasing and Practices Policies Taskforce was asked to look at the most socially responsible yet profitable means to buy cocoa for the Great Plains Confectionary Company, they had 36 hours to come up with the best answer.

In February, JCCC's four-member team of entrepreneurship students was up to the task, winning first prize and $2,000 at the Business Ethics Case hosted by Kansas State University's Students in Free Enterprise organization in Manhattan. The JCCC team was comprised of Kerop Fernandez, Jennifer Meskie, Rebecca McCully and Damon Tsai, all members of JCCC's Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization.

JCCC competed against all four-year schools. Institutional winners were:

first place
JCCC

second place
Texas State University at San Marcos

third place
University of Nebraska at Lincoln

fourth place
Truman State University

fifth place
Kansas State University at Salina

Teams arrived on Thursday evening and were all given the same ethics case. On Friday, they prepared their response to the case, and on Saturday morning, presented to a panel of judges - both K-State faculty and representatives of the business community. Each presentation was 19 minutes, with another five minutes for question and answers.

"The JCCC team covered every angle in their solutions, not just the obvious ones," said Barbara Millard, associate professor, business entrepreneurship, and Collegiate Entrepreneur Organziation adviser. "They examined combinations of options, and came up with a well thought-out proposal."

With consideration of working conditions, child labor and environmental issues, the team issued a recommendation that would lower the company's raw materials costs by 20 percent, provide the company with a new social and ethically correct marketing strategy and secure future success in the reliability of its supplier. After the short-window of opportunity for research, the team gave both verbal and written proposals.

The team said the experience helped them both personally and professionally.  Meskie said she would list the award on her resume for work and application to graduate school.

"The business ethics case helped me with my communication skills," Tsai said.

McCully added that the business case afforded the students the challenge of working as a team - something that would be of value in the business world. Fernandez has previous entrepreneurship competition notoriety, having won first place in the 2009 Kansas Community College Business Plan Challenge, sponsored by the Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship and W. Frank Barton School of Business.

Students in Free Enterprise is a nonprofit organization aimed toward the development of entrepreneurial skills. The organizations provides an opportunity for students to become involved within their community by participating in educational projects that build teamwork, dedication and communication, management and leadership skills. ConocoPhillips funded the competition.