Memorial University has kept its standing as the top business school in the John Molson MBA International Case Competition, thanks to ongoing support from the business and alumni community.
Haris Ansari, Allison Hiscock, Jillian Oldford and Yuserah Shahzeb placed second in the prestigious competition, also known as the Concordia Cup.
Memorial has won the cup five times and has 11 finishes in the top three — more than any other business school in the world.
Thirty teams from 15 countries participated in the 2025 Concordia Cup from Jan. 5-10 in Montreal, Que. HEC Montreal was the eventual winner.
Cherry on top
Ms. Oldford, who holds a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering from Memorial and will graduate this spring with a master of business administration (MBA), says Memorial’s record of success added some pressure but that the team felt well prepared.
“We felt confident in each other and leaned on each other for different cases that were in each other’s wheelhouse,” she said. “We were shocked to get to the finals and very excited. It was a cherry on top, at that point.”
Ms. Oldford credits coaching from Dr. Peggy Coady, associate professor at the Faculty of Business Administration, for the team’s preparedness and strong result.
Dr. Coady has coached case teams for over 20 years and was part of the team that won the Concordia Cup in 1996.
“She prepared us in every possible way and gave us the confidence we needed,” Ms. Oldford said. “She brought us cases in practices that she knew would challenge us and make us better as a team. I think my entire team would agree that she’s a huge part of this win.”
Intensive preparation
The team prepares for the Concordia Cup through intensive practice.
Members of the business community, many of whom are prior participants in the Concordia Cup, act as practice judges to ask questions and provide feedback.
One of those alumnae is Jane Kieley (MBA’95), a senior manager at Bell.
“Participating in the Concordia Cup was the defining experience of my MBA journey at Memorial, and support from the business community was key to our team’s success.”
Ms. Kieley was a member of the 1995 Concordia Cup team that also placed second, and is Ms. Oldford’s supervisor at Bell.
She says she was “delighted” to help the team prepare this year.
“Participating in the Concordia Cup was the defining experience of my MBA journey at Memorial, and support from the business community was key to our team’s success,” said Ms. Kieley.
She added that Memorial’s ongoing record of success “reinforces how important it is for us as alumni to share our insights and expertise with the next generation of graduates and leaders.”
Alumni support and guidance
Dean Travor Brown was also a practice judge.
He says strong alumni support differentiates the business faculty from others across Canada and even the world.
“The Concordia Cup is a formative experience for our MBA students, and we wouldn’t continue to have such success if it weren’t for the support and guidance of our alumni community,” he said. “We’re grateful that our alumni come back each year and contribute to this cycle of success in competitions, and success in our community.”
The team’s participation in the Concordia Cup was funded by The Associates Program, a membership program at the business faculty that supports scholarships and experiential learning opportunities.
Members include top business and management leaders and employers, including alumni.
“Competitions like the Concordia Cup offer our students an excellent opportunity to take what they learn in the classroom and give it a real-world context,” said Dr. Brown. “They get to practice combining their learning and creativity, which they can then bring to their careers in the future.”
