Organization plans to offer networking opportunities
It’s not the grades you make but the hands you shake — or at least that’s the way the newest national chapter of Collegiate DECA at USC sees it.
Collegiate DECA is a student organization that offers leadership conferences, scholarships and numerous service and networking opportunities to help students succeed in their career choices to the fullest potential.
The USC chapter of Collegiate DECA was colonized this fall by President Danielle Likibi, a second-year hospitality management student, who was actively involved in her high school’s DECA competitions.
The chapter is open to students of all majors and will be heavily involved in its first year on campus, including by attending competitions.
DECA conferences offer three different types of competitions: a role-play presentation in which participants have 30 minutes to fix a business’s problem, formal business simulation exams and a financial statement analysis.
Each competition is available in 33 different categories for each competition including accounting, hospitality, business law and retail.
“We are planning on having an on-campus competition in February. I am hoping for about 30 to 40 people to come out and compete,” Likibi said. “I also would like to go to the National Conference in Anaheim (Calif.) in April. I want students to be prepared when they enter into the career field, and I want them to know what they are getting themselves into.”
Each competition is judged by a panel of professionals in that particular field of business.
“At the end of each competition, you’ll get business cards from the judges. It’s such a great way to network,” Likibi said.
Like Likibi, the chapter’s secretary Allyssa Paragano, a first-year tourism management student, said her involvement with DECA in high school helped guide her career path.
“[Participating in DECA] really helped me decide in high school what to major in and what I wanted to do after college,” Paragano said. “I really appreciated the push, because without it I’d probably be studying something I didn’t love as much as tourism.”
The chapter plans to meet once every two weeks to see presentations from industry professionals, prepare for competition exams and discuss future career possibilities.
“I really hope all members take advantage of the opportunities offered by DECA,” Paragano said, adding that she personally hopes to “network with new companies and try to establish a professional name for myself.”
And, Likibi said, it has lots of opportunities to offer.
“Collegiate DECA teaches how to communicate and interact with people in the professional industry,” Likibi said. “Students will be motivated to be academically successful, community oriented, professionally responsible and experienced leaders.”