A student team from UCF outshone its competitors at Collegiate DECA’s state conference, held from March 1-4.

The team won a 4-star Chapter Activities Award, the highest possible ranking, for its community service and events held throughout the year. Only two chapters in Florida earned this prestigious award.

Seven students were part of this year’s group. All of them placed in the finals for their respective events, and several placed in the top three. As a result, the entire team has won a spot to compete at the national competition in Salt Lake City, Utah this April.

Congratulations to the following students:

Advertising Campaign Event

  • Third Place – Matthew Freindlich
  • Business Ethics

  • First Place Team – Jeff McGibbon / Cody McCaughn
  • Entrepreneurship Event

  • Finalist – Eddie Rippen
  • Human Resource Management Event

  • Finalist – Brittany Keating
  • International Marketing Event

  • Third Place Team – Brittany Keating / Estefania Martinez
  • Hotel and Lodging Event

  • Finalist – Morgan Lawler
  • Restaurant and Food Services Marketing / Management Event

  • First Place – Cody McCaughn
  • Travel and Tourism Marketing / Management

  • Finalist – Jeff McGibbon
  • DECA is an international organization for college students preparing for careers in marketing, merchandising, management, entrepreneurship, advertising, sales, hospitality, culinary arts, criminal justice and other business and marketing related areas. You can find out more about our chapter on the College of Business Administration website.