The University of Notre Dame MBA and Sprint are working together to sponsor an innovative online case competition centered on corporate responsibility. The Notre Dame MBA Mini Deep-Dive Challenge gives members of the public as well as prospective MBA students the chance to put their best ideas about an emerging corporate responsibility trend in front of Sprint executives. Participants will also have a chance of winning a $25,000 fellowship and hundreds of additional prizes.
“At Sprint, we are always exploring unique and creative ways to provide the highest-quality service for all of our customers,” said Bill White, Sprint senior vice president of corporate communications and corporate responsibility. “In fact, providing all customers with the tools they need to stay connected is an important part of our corporate responsibility platform. Working with Notre Dame on the MBA Mini Deep-Dive Challenge is the perfect opportunity for us to tap into some of the brightest minds across the country as we seek real-life solutions to a growing issue facing the wireless industry.”
To enter, participants must register on the Deep-Dive Challenge website and follow the instructions to submit a one-page proposal for a corporate responsibility plan for Sprint. The challenge’s case brief will provide additional details, including information on the topic to be addressed; this case brief will be available on the site Oct. 18 (Thursday). During the competition, participants also will have the opportunity to chat online with Sprint executives, as well as to talk strategy with MBA students in the Deep-Dive’s discussion forum.
“We are excited to work with Sprint on this challenge, because there is a widespread interest in how the wireless industry addresses issues important to its customers,” said Mary Goss, senior director of the Notre Dame MBA. “The Deep-Dive provides a great opportunity for prospective MBA students to get a glimpse of the type of case analysis that’s integral to b-school coursework, but we encourage anyone who has a creative idea to offer to get involved.”
Judging will take place in two phases: A team comprising three members of the Mendoza College of Business faculty and staff will review all entries and select 10 to be judged by executives at Sprint. The wireless carrier will select one grand-prize winner, one second-place winner and one third-place winner.
Entries will be judged on the following criteria: understanding of the business problem presented, insightfulness and creativity of solution, and organization and development of the ideas expressed.
Winners will be announced by mid-November. Prizes are provided by corporate partners of the Notre Dame MBA program, which include Sprint, Samsung, handset-maker HTC, McDonald’s and adidas.
The grand-prize winner will receive a $25,000 fellowship to the Notre Dame MBA program if he or she matriculates into the program in the 2013-2014 academic year (see eligibility details below and online). Additional grand prizes include a ZTE Optik Android tablet with one year of Sprint service, a Samsung Galaxy S III with one year of Sprint service, a $100 McDonald’s Arch Card and a $100 adidas gift card.
The first 50 contestants to register for the challenge and submit an entry will receive a prize package valued at $50, which includes an OtterBox iPhone 4/4s case, a $5 McDonald’s Arch Card and an adidas Notre Dame T-shirt.
All contestants who submit an entry in accordance with the competition guidelines will receive an application fee waiver for the Notre Dame MBA program application deadline of Oct. 29 (Monday).
Visit the challenge website for second- and third-place prizes, as well as additional contest details and rules.
The Notre Dame MBA Mini Deep-Dive Challenge was inspired by Interterm Intensives, a signature component of the Notre Dame MBA curriculum. Each spring and fall, MBA students participate in intense four-day sessions involving real-world presentations and case competitions from some of the top Fortune 100 companies, including Whirlpool, GE, adidas and McDonald’s.
Previous Deep-Dive Challenges included a sustainability case sponsored by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, manufacturer of the Keurig coffee-makers, and a Microsoft case involving educational initiatives and community relations.
The Notre Dame MBA at the Mendoza College of Business enrolls approximately 340 students annually in its one- and two-year programs. The program is designed to sharpen students’ analytical and problem-solving skills, enhance their leadership ability and increase emphasis on ethical decision-making. Students have the opportunity to study the complexities of global business through international immersions in Asia, Latin America and other locations.
The Notre Dame MBA is ranked 24th among U.S. business schools by Bloomberg Businessweek and No. 4 worldwide on the 2010-2011 Aspen Institute’s “Beyond Grey Pinstripes,” an alternative ranking that measures the school’s integration of sustainability and social responsibility into curricula and research. The Mendoza College also is a member of the Forté Foundation, a consortium of major corporations and top business schools supporting women in business leadership roles.
Sprint has a long-standing commitment to corporate responsibility and has previously worked with Notre Dame for other responsibility-focused programs. To learn more about Sprint’s corporate responsibility initiatives, please visit www.sprint.com/responsibility.
About Sprint Nextel: Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 56 million customers at the end of the second quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company.
Grand Prize Details: The $25,000 fellowship is valid only if the grand-prize winner matriculates into the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business MBA one-year or two-year program for the 2013-14 academic year. The fellowship must be applied to the cost of tuition at the University of Notre Dame. The grand-prize winner must complete the formal application process and be accepted into the MBA program of the Mendoza College of Business pursuant to the admissions criteria set forth. Failure to gain admittance into the MBA program in the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business negates the $25,000 fellowship offer. Fellowship is nontransferable and may not be redeemed for monetary value.