PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (November 3, 2021) – Prairie View A&M University students recently squared off against Texas Southern University students for the annual Black Employee Network Phillips 66 Business and Engineering Diversity Case Competition. The competition returned in 2021 after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Six students from PVAMU combined to take first and second place in the event.
“Both teams put on a valiant effort,” said Keisha Antoine, Ph.D., a chemical engineering lecturer at PVAMU and a faculty sponsor for the competition. “I couldn’t be prouder of how the students handled themselves during the competition and the other opportunities for interaction with the Phillips 66 leadership.”
First Place Winners: David Irabor, Anh Nguyen, Chad Gardner
Held at the Phillips 66 headquarters in Houston, this year’s competition included a collaboration between Phillips 66 and Boeing. Students tackled corporate social responsibility outlooks presented by both Phillips 66 and Boeing. They used a compare-and-contrast methodology to analyze the sustainability and efficacy of both companies’ approaches.
Before the competition, each of the interdisciplinary student teams from TSU and PVAMU received a “pre-read” that included details about the companies, as well as each company’s sustainability report for 2021.
Each team presented material via PowerPoint and fielded questions from a panel of judges. When the dust settled, and the scores were tallied, Utomwen Irabor, Chad Gardner, and Anh Nguyen—all chemical engineering students at PVAMU—took first place and a $250 award each. Second place went to PVAMU students Erron Williams (chemical engineering), Jared Stubblefield (mechanical engineering), and Jordan Deadwyler (accounting).
Second Place Winners: Jared Stubblefield, Jordan Deadwyler, Erron Williams
“I want to thank Phillips 66 and Prairie View A&M University for this opportunity to exercise my intellect, time-management skills, and collaborative ability—I love my HBCU!” said Irabor. “I treasure the chance to represent my school and win for Prairie View A&M University. If I had another opportunity, I would do it all over again.”
Nguyen said the competition offered an excellent occasion for networking, real-world experience, and even the chance to overcome a fear of public speaking.
“This competition took me back from virtual to real life,” said Nguyen. “The win meant so much to me. It not only encouraged me to present in front of many people but also expanded my network. I used to be afraid of being in front of people, talking or presenting, but this win has changed my mind. People are not scary; be confident and do your best. There will be a big payoff in the end.”
Origins of the Competition
In 2012, ConocoPhillips held its first College Enrichment Day, welcoming students to the company headquarters to learn more about its services, meet with Human Resources, and network with corporate leaders.
After splitting into two companies, Conoco and Phillips 66, the Black Employment Network and Phillips 66 redefined the student engagement program as the case competition to be able to continue to offer internship and entry-level employment opportunities to PVAMU and TSU students, institutions that have been historically overlooked when it came to corporate recruiting opportunities.
“We truly enjoyed the students and are glad we were able to tell them more about Phillips 66,” said Camilka Rolfe, Phillips 66 planning and budget coordinator for midstream operations. “We look forward to next year’s students! Congrats to Prairie View for taking the win for both of the teams!”
Get in the Game
Students interested in future Phillips 66 case competitions must major in IT, engineering, finance and accounting, or management information systems and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA. Eligible students can contact either Antoine or Irvin Osborne-Lee, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering at PVAMU and faculty advisor for the competition.
“Being able to network and present a presentation along with my teammates to the panel was a great experience,” said Gardner, whose team placed first. “The P66 team handling the competition was very helpful, informative, and did a great job explaining their current roles and overall day-to-day job activities.”
Antoine looks forward to the next competition and the opportunity it will provide the students with for expanding their potential as professionals.
“The students really enjoyed and benefited from the experience,” she said. “We look forward to the next opportunity to participate in the BEN Phillips 66 Case Study Competition.”
By Kerry Laird
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