The Council for Retail and Sales (CRS), housed at DeSales University, hosts up to two collegiate case competitions each year. The spring 2026 competition was held on March 30th and sponsored by The Alzheimer’s Association. This year Penn State Lehigh Valley took first place and DeSales University took second; both being awarded cash prizes.
The 1st place winning team was comprised of students Daniel LaPorte, Jizel Veneracion, and Sumedha Pol, and advised by Dr. Denise Ogden. The team members will split a $1200 1st place prize. Second place was awarded to Grace Moore, Keira DeAcetis, and Emily Gravitt, who were advised by Dr. Karen Kent and will share a $400 prize. The competition was judged on a written executive summary and an in-person presentation to a panel of team members from The Alzheimer’s Association.
The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia—by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.
The association helps all those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by providing support groups and educational resources, while advancing crucial research and public policy initiatives. For purposes of this case competition, The Alzheimer’s Association [Delaware Valley and Greater Pennsylvania Chapter(s)] tasked the students with developing innovative strategies to increase awareness of the Association and its resources, brain health and risk reduction, as well as boost volunteer engagement across new audiences.
Teams from the following universities competed – DeSales University (advisors Dr. Karen Kent & Dr. Anne Angeles); Penn State Lehigh Valley (advisor Dr. Denise Ogden); Bloomsburg University (Dr. Thomas Tanner); and Kutztown University (Dr. Feisal Murshed). Seven teams competed in total.
The next competition will take place in fall of 2026. Participation is open to undergraduates from any college or university. Contact Dr. James “Doc” Ogden for information on how your business can become a sponsor. Check thecrs.org or follow CRS on Facebook for more information.
