NEWS RELEASE
NIAGARA COLLEGE
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They crossed the border as underdogs ready to face university rivals at a bi-national case competition, but a team of Niagara College Business students had something special to declare upon their return: victory.
The team of four students from NC’s School of Business and Management (SoBM) won first place at the World Trade Centre Buffalo Niagara 2025 International Case Competition, held at the University of Buffalo on March 7. As the only college-level team participating, NC’s team faced competitors from Brock University, Canisius University, Niagara University, and the University of Buffalo.
“We are incredibly proud of our students’ outstanding achievement. Against the backdrop of the current Canada-US trade environment, our talented team won a U.S.-based case competition that involved cross-border operational efficiencies in the EV market,” said Evan DiValentino, Dean, Business and Environment. “This victory – against much larger universities – highlights student and faculty member dedication and talent. It also underscores the importance of applied education and training for a changing world.”
Stefan Johnson, Professor and International Business Coordinator who coached the team, said it was a tough competition, but NC’s success showed how well the College prepares students to apply their skills to the real world beyond the classroom – what faculty refer to as, ‘Monday morning ready.’
“This international competition is a great way for students at NC to benchmark their business acumen against universities in the region,” said Johnson. “We are a medium-sized college, but we are capable of competing against the big schools in the area – certainly an accomplishment for the students and a testament to the hard work that everybody in the SoBM puts in.”
This marked the first time NC has won the annual international case competition hosted by World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara, now in its seventh year.
The competition aims to help students develop their business skills and solve real-world challenges. Teams were given a case about an automotive battery manufacturing plant for electric vehicles in Fort Erie, that had 73% of its business in the United States and were required to find a solution to increase operational efficiency and integrate artificial intelligence.
Johnson noted that NC’s solution was robust. Students used operations management, finance, strategy, international concepts, and process design knowledge. They leveraged problem-solving, public speaking, and PowerPoint development skills, and demonstrated team cohesion, along with a sense of ownership of the event.
“In such competitions, coaches can only do so much – once the students enter the building, it is entirely on them to make the magic happen,” Johnson said.
Participating NC students included Brooklyn Balanowski (third-year Business Administration - Marketing), Nazek Kigab (second-year Business Administration - Marketing), Andrei Melnikov (fourth-year Honours Bachelor of Business Administration - International Commerce and Global Development), and Roberto Villao (fourth-year Honours Bachelor of Business Administration - International Commerce and Global Development).
For Villao (Niagara-on-the-Lake), winning first place was meaningful, marking the culmination of his journey as a student and a defining moment in his academic career. “As my final case competition before graduating, this victory is a testament to the skills, knowledge, and experience I have gained throughout my studies,” he said. “It leaves me on a high note and reinforces my confidence as I transition into the professional world, ready to apply these abilities in real-life business scenarios.”
Originally from Ecuador, Villao enrolled at NC to gain practical hands-on experience and build connections with expert professors. He feels the competition strengthened his ability to manage multiple responsibilities, as he balanced his academic assignments with work and intensive competition prep with the team.
“This enhanced my time management, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, all of which are critical for success in the business world,” he said. “It reinforced my confidence in making strategic decisions under pressure, a skill that will be invaluable in my professional career.”
No stranger to international competition, Villao was part of the NC team that travelled to Budapest last spring to compete in the Corvinus Undergraduate Business Experience (CUBE) and placed third overall among university-level teams from around the world.
“After consistently making it to the podium in past competitions but not quite reaching the top, this victory felt like a long-awaited accomplishment,” he said. “It represents persistence, teamwork and continuous growth, making it even more special.”
For the College’s SoBM, the WTC competition was a training ground for CUBE in Budapest next month. Participants Melnikov and Kigab, who will compete at CUBE this year, had an opportunity to learn from their teammates who competed last year. They will be joined by students Jillian Kosior and David Dioszegi, who were recently part of a NC team that advanced to the finals at the Vanier Case Competition in Montreal.
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