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The students earned the ability to compete at the international level because of their performance at the 2024 Minnesota Collegiate DECA competition on February 22-23, 2024, in Willmar, Minn.

DECA competitions propel winners from the local level to the state and then on to the international level. DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges for their future careers.

30 students competed at the state level. Each student participated in two events. The Alexandria College students were able to produce forty-nine top 8 finalists. Of those, three individuals and one team earned first-place awards, four individuals and one team earned second place, and four individuals and three teams earned third place.

The following students were awarded Outstanding Student Service Awards:

• Michael Cochran (Business Management), Brandon, Minn.
• Kourtney Harms (Business Management), Norwood Young America, Minn.
• Abigail Paumen (Business Management), Maple Lake, Minn.

Harms and Paumen were also elected State Vice Presidents for Minnesota Collegiate DECA.

The results of the state DECA competition are:

Business Ethics 

3rd Place— Logan Biggar (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn., and Jacob Wagner (Business Management), Parkers Prairie, Minn.

Finalists— Dalton Peterson (Business Management), Glenwood, Minn., and Cody Sutherland (Business Management) Prior Lake, Minn.; Grace Herzog (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn., and Abbi Ruckheim (Business Management) Parkers Prairie, Minn.  

Corporate Finance 

2nd Place— Eli Biggers (Accounting), Alexandria, Minn.

Finalists— Victoria Kerfeld (Accounting and Business Management), Sauk Centre, Minn.

Entrepreneurship— Starting a Business 

1st Place— Grace Herzog (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn.

2nd Place— Hailey Nathe (Business Management), Albany, Minn. 

3rd Place— Sarah Perrou (Business Management, Marketing & Sales Management, and Accounting), Alexandria, Minn.

Entrepreneurship Operations 

1st Place— Michael Cochran (Business Management and Marketing & Sales Management), Brandon, Minn.

Event Planning 

Finalist— Hailey Nathe (Business Management), Albany, Minn., and Mackenzie Andreasen (Business Management and Marketing & Sales Management), Long Prairie, Minn.

Financial Accounting 

Finalists— Paige Prentice (Accounting), Brooten, Minn., Alexus Klimek (Accounting), Carlos, Minn., and Olivia Kleinschmidt (Accounting), Erhard, Minn.  

Financial Statement Analysis 

2nd Place— Alexus Klimek (Accounting), Carlos, Minn., Olivia Kleinschmidt (Accounting), Erhard, Minn., Paige Prentice (Accounting), Brooten, Minn., and Jon Hubred (Accounting), Alexandria, Minn.

Hotel and Lodging 

Finalist— Mackenzie Andreasen (Business Management and Marketing & Sales Management), Long Prairie, Minn.  

Human Resource Management 

Finalists— Tyler Samuelson (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn., Alyssa Scherping (Business Management and Marketing & Sales Management), Freeport, Minn., Jake Wagner (Business Management), Parker Prairie, Minn., and Jordan Paquette (Business Management), McGregor, Minn.

Marketing Communications 

1st Place— Brandon Zins (Marketing & Sales Management), Glenwood, Minn., and Isaiah Wagner (Marketing & Sales Management), Eagle Bend, Minn.  

Marketing Management 

1st Place— Michael Cochran (Business Management), Brandon, Minn.

Finalists— Logan Biggar (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn., Cody Sutherland (Business Management), Prior Lake, Minn., Cody Bray (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn., and Ruth Mattson (Liberal Arts & Sciences), Eagle Bend, Minn.

Professional Sales 

3rd Place— Sarah Perrou (Business Management, Marketing & Sales Management, and Accounting), Alexandria, Minn. 

Restaurant and Food Service 

3rd Place— Ruth Mattson (Liberal Arts & Sciences), Eagle Bend, Minn. 

Finalists— Kourtney Harms (Business Management and Marketing & Sales Management), Norwood Young America, Minn.; Dalton Peterson (Business Management), Glenwood, Minn.; and Kennedy Daniels (Business Management and Marketing & Sales Management), Evansville, Minn. 

Retail Management 

2nd place— Brady Anderson (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn.

3rd Place— Tyler Samuelson (Business Management), Alexandria, Minn.

Finalists— Brady Book (Business Management), Chaska, Minn., Caleb Fraser (Business Management), Chaska, Minn., and Alyssa Scherping (Business Management), Freeport, Minn.

Sales Management and Leadership 

2nd Place— Brandon Zins (Marketing & Sales Management), Glenwood, Minn.  

Sports and Entertainment Marketing 

3rd Place— Kourtney Harms (Business Management and Marketing & Sales Management), Norwood Young America, Minn., and Abigail Paumen (Accounting), Maple Lake, Minn.

Finalist— Brady Book (Business Management), Chaska, Minn., and Caleb Fraser (Business Management), Chaska, Minn.