Ten business information systems (BIS) students outshined regional competition at the ITSA Midwest Collegiate Computing Conference (MWC3) in Grand Rapids, MI, this past March. Competing against larger universities with nationally recognized BIS programs, seven out of the ten Eastern students brought home two first-place titles, one second-place title, and one third-place title, along with two honorable mentions in competitions throughout the three-day conference.

MWC3, hosted by Grand Valley State University, provides students and faculty with opportunities for hands-on learning, competition, and professional networking. Eastern’s delegation consisted of members of the Business Information Systems – IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club, accompanied by their advisor, accounting and BIS Professor Alex Citurs.

“Our members did an outstanding job representing Eastern in a wide variety of contests against schools with at least twice to more than ten times the number of students as Eastern,” wrote Citurs. Participating institutions, excluding Eastern, had an average student population of more than 23,000, about five times Eastern's enrollment.

Stacking accolades

Eastern teams earned both first and second place finishes in a competition titled “Data Analytics I with MS Office,” which involved presenting data-driven solutions for a real-world scenario: A Chicago-based startup was exploring a “pizza tour” concept, challenging teams to use skills in MS Office Suite products to provide data-driven insights into various metrics.

Junior Allison Kazmier and senior Edon Selimaj earned first place.

“[The competition] strengthened my ability to translate raw data into strategic recommendations,” Kazmier said. “It was inspiring to see how different teams approached the same problems with unique perspectives and creative solutions.”

Selimaj emphasized the value of applying classroom skills to real-world scenarios. “This experience gave me a newfound confidence that I will be able to carry with me into my internship and eventually a full-time position,” he said.

Placing second were seniors Gage Duarte and Sam Hurlburt.

“Time management and teamwork were key, as there were many tasks in each competition that required collaboration between my teammate and me,” Hurlburt wrote.

“The competitions were designed to test not only our skills, but our ability to apply them to real-life business scenarios. Being able to work with that kind of data is incredibly rewarding and provides more applicable experience that employers seek.”

Had the pizza tour been a real business, the teams’ analyses would have provided powerful insights needed to develop a sustainable business model. Participants also heavily relied on their knowledge of standard query language (SQL) to efficiently and accurately draw insights from data in MS Access, a skill heavily in demand in the BIS and information technology industries.

Sophomores Billy Heller and Emily Meagher earned first place in a competition in “Business Solutions using Generative AI.” The duo was given limited passenger demographics and survivor data from the Titanic and were tasked with predicting whether unaccounted passengers had survived, using any resource at their disposal.

“We enhanced a machine learning model using the provided dataset,” Meagher said, “using Claude AI to refine models and clearly communicate our methodology, which helped us earn first place.”

Heller highlighted the importance of testing yourself in competitive environments, commenting that they “give real insight into where you stand.” He continued: “I see these events as getting an early taste of the competitive job market and providing a good gauge for where you currently stand.”

The pair also earned second place in “Data Analytics II with Tableau.” Teams analyzed raw data tied to real-world business problems, tasked with providing insightful, data-driven solutions using Tableau, a business intelligence and analytics platform.

While the Heller and Meagher duo experienced minor difficulties in an Excel-based competition, “we were able to answer every single question [in Tableau], providing screenshots of extensive visualizations created to showcase how we came to each solution,” Heller wrote.

Junior Jacob Morales earned a third-place title in the top ten finals for “PC Troubleshooting,” tasked with troubleshooting technical issues at a mock workstation, documenting his processes, and communicating with mock clients. Morales was the only Eastern student to place individually and advance to the finals after placing in the top ten in a 100-question questionnaire.

“Competitions like this help me learn where I stand with my technical skills, but more importantly, they help me improve my soft skills like teamwork and communication,” Morales wrote. “The time pressure and wanting to do well put you in a position that really tests your patience and ability to push forward through challenges.”

Four students also earned honorable mentions, with Kazmier and Morales earning the title in “Data Analytics II with Tableau,” and Duarte and Hurlburt in “Data Analytics II with MS Excel.”

Not only do the competition placements look good on paper, but they are also attractive to prospective employers. “Connecticut employers actively seek out students that demonstrate successful application of these skillsets in real-world problem-solving situations,” wrote Citurs.

A memorable experience

MWC3 provided students with opportunities to test their skills and to access extensive networking and educational opportunities. “One of the most memorable aspects was connecting with other analytical students from across the country,” said Meagher. “I especially valued meeting other women in a male-dominated field and hearing about their experiences and successes.”

Kazmier added, “The interactions with students, faculty, and professionals were incredibly valuable. They provided insights into different career paths and real-world applications of the skills we use in the classroom.”

Morales touched on building team spirit at the conference. “I also really liked the feeling of teamwork when the winners were announced. We all cheered for each other,” he said.

Additional recognition

Not only did Eastern’s BIS students take home major accolades at MWC3, but its BIS-ITSA club won the National 2026 Campus Outreach Award at the National ITSA Online Awards Ceremony on April 1. The award recognizes ITSA clubs that display leadership in events and activities that connect with current students, prospective students, alumni, employers, and community stakeholders.

Eastern’s BIS-ITSA club has an extensive history of triumphs in academic conferences. At the United States IT Collegiate Conference, the club has consistently earned top-five placements in business analytics, database design, and MS Office solutions. In 2025, a six-student delegation earned first place in a business analytics competition and second place in database design.