Veda Kania decided on a whim to join the Collegiate DECA Program at Cleary University. Using skills she learned at Brighton High School, she’s earned international recognition.
Kania placed among the top 10 competitors at the International Career Development Conference and Competition for Collegiate DECA, which ran April 18-21 in Louisville, Kentucky. There were more than 2,000 participating students across various categories, according to a release from Cleary University.
Kania, 18, is a senior at Brighton High School and a first-year student in the Cleary Early College Program. During the competition, she faced 48 other students in the Fashion Merchandising and Marketing Category.
Justine Defever, associate professor at Cleary and co-advisor for DECA, said the placement is “huge” for the level of competition.
“(Kania) faced some fierce competition with tremendous confidence and professionalism,” she wrote in the release.
DECA is a nonprofit organization that “prepares college and high school emerging leaders and entrepreneurs throughout the world for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management,” according to the release.
Kania was part of the chapter at BHS during her sophomore and junior years, even serving as an officer. She reached the state-level competition during her sophomore year for Sports Entertainment Marketing, then the international-level competition during her junior year for Apparel and Accessories Marketing.
In addition to DECA, Kania worked in marketing and management for the school’s football and wrestling programs. She wasn’t sure there’d be time for Collegiate DECA — but when one of her professors (Defever) warned her the last week to submit for the program had arrived, she decided to try her hand.
“I might as well try it — let’s do this,” Kania said.
In the first round of competition, judges asked Kania to develop a marketing plan specifically for Gen Zers. She was given 30 minutes to create the plan before giving a 15-minute presentation.
During the preliminary awards ceremony, Kania learned she was one of 13 students who’d advanced to the finals. She had several hours to prepare for the final round, for which she had to develop a rebranding campaign. During the final awards ceremony, Kania was informed she was among the top 10.
She received a separate award for a high exam score.
Kania said her classes at BHS taught her the basics to succeed in Collegiate DECA, including speaking to people you aren’t familiar with and thinking quickly.
“You need to know what you’re talking about, and you need to be confident in what you’re saying,” she told The Daily. “You need to be able to speak in front of people you don’t know. If you don’t know how to speak in front of a random person, or if you don’t know what you’re talking about, it makes it hard for you to succeed.
“You only have a short amount of time to come up with a full plan and try to be the best.”
In total, six students from Cleary qualified for the International DECA Competition, including Aliya Farrand of Fowlerville — who competed in Entrepreneurship Operations against 60 other students.
Kania plans to continue in Collegiate DECA. She’s majoring in business management and hopes to pursue a career in sports management and marketing.
Learn more at cleary.edu/student-life/student-groups/#collegiatedeca.
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @SalsaEvan.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: BHS senior earns worldwide recognition for quick strategic thinking
Reporting by Evan Sasiela, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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