Elon students win national business ethics competition

Elon University senior Danny Bell and junior Charley Costa won top honors this weekend in the 2009 Eller Ethics Case Competition, a prestigious national contest hosted by the University of Arizona and featuring many of the top-ranked undergraduate business schools in North America.

Elon students Danny Bell and Charley Costa, pictured with University of Arizona professor Paul Melendez, won first place in the 2009 Eller Ethics Case Competition in Tucson.

The “invitation only” competition now in its seventh year fielded 26 teams. Hosted by the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, the competition “exposes students to a timely business ethics case they could face in their professional careers.”

Teams analyze, present information and respond to questions posed by judges. Assistant professor Christy Benson coached the team, with additional faculty in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business assisting in preparations. The Love School’s Board of Advisors listened to an early version of the team’s presentation and provided feedback at its recent board meeting.

The win comes in only the second year of participation by Elon University. Alumni Erika Lamanna and Garrett Pittenger took part in the 2008 competition, reaching the semifinals before their eventual elimination.

Participating schools included the following:

· Bentley University
· Boston College
· Brigham Young University
· Case Western Reserve University
· Concordia University
· Elon University
· Emory University
· Georgetown University
· Indiana University
· Iowa State University
· La Salle University
· North Carolina A&T State University
· Northern Illinois University
· Oregon State University
· Pennsylvania State University
· Syracuse University
· Valdosta State University
· University of Florida
· University of Illinois
· University of Iowa
· University of Michigan
· University of New Mexico
· University of Oklahoma
· University of Southern California
· University of Texas at Austin
· University of Washington