Central Students Win the University of Iowa Tippie International Case Competition
Pella, IA (10/26/2026) — Central College students took home first place in this year's Tippie International Case Competition, competing against four other teams to win the top spot.
The team had less than 48 hours to analyze a case provided by the host and prepare recommendations and action steps, which they then presented to a panel of judges during the event. The case was brought forward by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and challenged students to research three sub-Saharan countries in which to expand three Iowa economic sectors.
The winning team from Central shared their ideas on bringing Iowa soybeans, equipment and education to Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal. Judges were highly impressed by the comprehensive five-year plan that incorporated IEDA's budget, suggestions for partnerships and residual income.
The three-person team was coached by Ann McDonald, lecturer of business management, and was comprised of:
- Cooper Cooke, Class of 2029, business management and accounting double major from Clear Lake, Iowa.
- Gage Rickard, Class of 2027, accounting major from Eldridge, Iowa.
- Evan Sheesley, Class of 2026, business management major from Knoxville, Iowa.
The Tippie International Case Competition held at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business focused on bringing together teams of undergraduate students from universities and colleges across the Midwest region and was an invitation-only event. Central bested teams from Iowa State University, Loras College, University of Iowa and Washington University in St. Louis to secure first place.
"I'm ecstatic to see these students achieve success at such a high level," McDonald says. "Central's team represented our institution wonderfully. The efforts of these students came against an elite field of teams, which makes their victory even more impressive. Their dedication to this year's competition deserves high praise and I am very proud of them for securing first place. It was wonderful watching them showcase high-level problem solving, research and communication skills. I could really tell they blew the judges away with their preparation and completeness."
If you would be interested in supporting next year's team, gifts are accepted through the Central advancement office. Contact Kathy Cashen Thompson, director of development and 1987 graduate, cashenthompsonk@central.edu.
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