Winning the HTM Case Competition: How I got to make university history
If there’s one thing you should know about Ryerson, it’s that we pride ourselves on the hands-on learning opportunities students receive both inside and outside of the classroom. If you’re a prospective student wanting to learn more about all sorts of opportunities you’ll have at your disposal, allow me to share one of my most recent experiences.
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to partake in the Hospitality and Tourism Case Competition (HTCC) where I was able to secure first place for Ryerson! Case competitions are a perfect example of the hands-on learning you get to indulge in when you join Ryerson, especially at the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM).
The HTTC is an annual inter-university competition between students studying Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) at Ryerson, the University of Guelph, and the University of Quebec in Montreal. This year, Ryerson set a new record and for the first time in history, winning in both the hospitality and tourism categories! Each university has two teams presented with either a hospitality or tourism case.
As an integral part of Ryerson’s educational experience, you’ll find different examples of hands-on learning – also known as experiential learning – regardless of which program you apply to. For example, one of my favourite experiences in HTM has been getting to cook in class! Definitely, my favourite way to learn.
Other ways my program has allowed me to engage in hands-on learning have been through simulations and field trips, touring through one of my favourite tour companies’ headquarters, for example. Studying in downtown Toronto means we are so close to the Financial District definitely has its perks as a business student!
That being said, case competitions take experiential learning to the next level! You get to apply what you learn in the classroom to real-world cases, which I’ve found to be an invaluable way to gain experience as an international student. The thing I enjoyed most about the HTCC was the fact that I got a chance to use the knowledge I gained over the last four years of studying at Ryerson.
As a graduating student, my greatest piece of advice to incoming students is to put yourself out there. There’s no shortage of possibilities and opportunities at Ryerson, so take advantage of them!
If you’re interested in the Ted Rogers School of Management, there are a ton of conferences and competitions offered for you to check out. Good luck!
