By Nicola Hodson, MSc Marketing Management Practice
Just over a month ago, I was fortunate enough to be taken to Montréal in Canada to participate in the International Graduate Competition, along with three other students from Sheffield University Management School. Teams from around the world took part in this competition, representing Australia, Taiwan and Spain, to name a few. After spending a
couple of days getting to know the other participants and attending some interesting lectures and workshops centered around innovation, the competition began.
We were given a business case study and had 48 hours working in our teams to resolve it, producing a 20 page report, a 10 minute long presentation and a half hour long presentation. We endured little sleep whilst the competition took place, pushing ourselves to the limit to produce the best work we could. Teamwork was absolutely vital and we all pulled together and kept each other’s moral up when we were tired and struggling, having plenty of laughs along the way! It’s safe to say we were absolutely exhausted by the end of the 48 
hours! Almost immediately upon handing everything in, we presented our solution to the business case to a panel of judges and I think I can speak for all of our team when I say how proud we felt at what we had produced under such pressure and with such limited time and sleep!
It wasn’t all work however – We managed to find enough time once we had finished the competition to explore a bit of Montréal including the Grand Prix track! We also saw a wild beaver which we were all very excited about, attended a gala dinner with the rest of the competition participants and visited the Olympic Park!
Attending the International Graduate Competition has honestly been one of 
the highlights of my university experience- it challenged me, it provided me with lifelong friends and it was just such a fun week. I learnt how to work as a consultant and I learnt just how much you are capable of if you put your mind to it. I’m so grateful for such an incredible opportunity!