This article originally appeared on Nielsen.com.
We recently held our third case study competition at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) – Mayagüez in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Seventeen student groups (see photo above) chose to participate in this year’s competition from the UPR Mayagüez and Río Piedras campuses. We were able to build a high level of student interest by tapping into the “classic” rivalry between the two schools and creating an atmosphere of friendly competition.
This year’s case study presented a challenge for students about two fictional companies: the teams’ client, an ice cream company named Classic Creamery, and an emerging competitor, Delightful Dairy. The students were presented with potential options Classic Creamery could take in order to remain a market leader. The presentations students delivered included recommended strategies along with key data points, using Nielsen-provided data that supported their recommendation.
Case study competitions like these give Nielsen associates the opportunity to make connections with highly skilled diverse students. In turn, the competitions ensure the students have the opportunity to analyze real Nielsen data and use their analysis to tell a story while simultaneously learning about our employee experience, where all associates can ‘make a difference, be yourself and grow with us.’
“Judging and seeing the creative ideas demonstrated the importance of including students in this activity,” said Diana Lucas, SVP, Client Solutions, Nielsen, and a judge in this year’s competition. “It showcases the students’ skills and bolsters our overall Diversity & Inclusion strategy by ensuring we are attracting as many diverse candidates to join our organization.”
Recruitment is a key initiative in our overall Diversity & Inclusion strategy. For several years, our university recruiting teams, have hosted case study competitions throughout the nation, including at some Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), like UPR. The competitions, in addition to exposing students to Nielsen data, also provide an opportunity to network with Nielsen executive leaders and associates. Our diverse recruitment efforts were proven and recently recognized by DiversityInc, which named us one of the top 12 companies in the U.S. for recruitment, as well as a top 20 company for diversity and inclusion overall.
Michael Alicea, Nielsen’s EVP, Global Human Resources and Executive Sponsor of our university recruiting team at UPR, recognizes that diversity is a business imperative. “Businesses that bring diverse perspectives can help solve their clients’ biggest needs and win,” said Michael.
