Startup Sprint & Business Plan Pitch Competition
In October, the Meinders School of Business welcomed a record number of future entrepreneurs for the annual High School Startup Sprint and Business Plan Pitch Competition, an event designed to spark innovation and inspire the next generation of 91看片 business leaders.
More than 175 students from 15 high schools and career technology centers across the state gathered on the OCU campus to compete in a full-day entrepreneurial challenge. Students tested their business ideas before a panel of professional judges, including several Meinders alumni, who evaluated creativity, feasibility and presentation.
The competition鈥檚 2025 theme, 鈥淭he Next Big Experience,鈥� challenged teams to imagine and pitch an entertainment-based event business. Working in teams of five, students collaborated to develop a product concept, marketing plan, and financial projection鈥攁ll in a single day. OCU professors, staff members, and current upperclassmen mentored each group, guiding them through brainstorming, budgeting, and presentation strategies.
鈥� 1st Place: Edmond Memorial High School 鈥� Color Clash Dodgeball Run
鈥� 2nd Place: Mustang High School 鈥� Global Goal Getter Soccer Mashup
鈥� 3rd Place: MetroTech 鈥� PawPooloza Dog Park
鈥� 4th Place: Edmond North High School 鈥� CultureFest
鈥� Honorable Mention: Canadian Valley Technology Center and Southmoore High School
More than $6,500 in total prizes were awarded, including $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, $1,000 for third and $500 for fourth. Trophies, certificates and scholarships were also presented to the winning teams. This year marked the highest attendance since the event began and the second event sponsored by Post Oak Toyota, whose support made the student awards possible.
Welcome to New Meinders School of Business Faculty
Siyu An, Ph.D. Clinical Professor of Data Analytics
Siyu An earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in Financial Accounting and Management from Northeastern University, his master鈥檚 in Statistics from George Washington University and his doctorate in Statistics from 91看片 State University, specializing in survival and longitudinal joint modeling. His research interests include electronic health records data analysis, survival and longitudinal analysis, and Bayesian statistical modeling. He also is interested in the applications of artificial intelligence in sports analytics and healthcare data analysis.
Before joining OCU, he served as a senior data scientist at Liberty Mutual Insurance, where he gained extensive industry experience in developing and applying machine learning models (e.g., gradient boosting machines) and large language models (e.g., encoder鈥揹ecoder architectures and neural networks). He is dedicated to sharing his expertise and advancing students鈥� understanding of state-of-the-art technologies at the Meinders School of Business.
Yi Huang, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Management
Yi Huang earned her undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, master鈥檚 degree in Business Administration from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and her Ph.D. in Strategic Management from Syracuse University. Her research focuses on corporate governance, strategic leadership and behavioral strategy, with current projects examining how governance mechanisms and managerial cognition shape firms鈥� strategic choices and performance.
She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Strategic Management, International Business Strategy, and Principles of Management and Organization, among others. She is passionate about helping students connect management theory with real-world practice. She has received the Dr. Torpey Teaching Award for teaching excellence and the doctoral prize for her research at Syracuse. Huang is a member of the Academy of Management and the Strategic Management Society. She has presented her work multiple times at premier academic conferences, and her service to the academic community has been recognized by the Academy of Management with the Outstanding Reviewer Award.
New Program in Supply Chain Management
In today鈥檚 interconnected economy, supply chain management professionals keep products and services moving efficiently from concept to customer. The Bachelor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management at OCU prepares students to design, manage and optimize complex systems that power global business operations.
Students gain practical knowledge in logistics, procurement, inventory control, data analytics and strategic sourcing 鈥� all skills that are in high demand across nearly every industry. OCU鈥檚 hands-on learning environment connects students directly with leading employers through internships, career networking and real-world projects guided by industry experts.
Scholarship Opportunity for Supply Chain Management Majors
A significant donation by Trustee Paula Marshall of Bama Companies to OCU will be used to establish a new scholarship so that more students can gain proficiency in supply chain management, currently one of the most in-demand trades in business. The Paula Marshall Supply Chain Management scholarship will provide $5,000 per semester for first-year and transfer students majoring in SCM at OCU. This scholarship is available each semester a student remains a SCM major in good academic standing, up to four years or a maximum of $40,000.
Professional Certificate in Supply Chain Management
For working professionals or individuals with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in another field, OCU offers a Professional Certificate in Supply Chain Management. This flexible option delivers the same upper-level SCM courses included in the BBA major without requiring general education or business core prerequisites.
The certificate is ideal for career changers or professionals seeking advancement in procurement, operations, or logistics roles. Designed for busy schedules, courses emphasize applied knowledge and strategic thinking relevant to real-world supply chain challenges.
Join the Meinders School of Business and gain the skills to keep the world moving. Apply today at okcu.edu/supplychain.
