Clemson MBA students solve cybersecurity challenge in N.C. State competition

A team of Clemson University students finished second in an eight-team field of MBA students who were challenged with solving a cybersecurity issue for a pharmaceutical company.

The recently held competition at North Carolina State University was part of NCSU’s Grand Business Challenge and included an international field of MBA students.

Clemson University MBA corporate students, Nadeen Qubti, Carissa Robinson, Jamilah Abdi and Jillian Gaskins finished second in the event’s Storyboard Competition. Each team was charged with solving a company’s cybersecurity challenge.

“It was a great opportunity for us to represent Clemson’s MBA program,” Qubti, a second-year student, said. “Experiences like this help us grow to become the leaders we’re meant to be. This exercise was unique in that we were presented real-world challenges to solve, and opportunities to learn from business professionals and industry experts.”

Each four-member team in the Storyboard Competition provided judges details on their solution to a cybersecurity issue, in part by strengthening partnerships among different areas of the company. Teams then discussed their strategies with the judges, who were all business professionals.

“The challenge really opened my eyes to the life of a CEO and provided insights into how cybersecurity affects different aspects of a business,” said Robinson, also a second-year student. “The competition gave us exposure and insight into real-world business challenges, all while being evaluated by professionals on how we reacted under pressure.”

This was the second year that Qubti and Robinson took part in the competition. Abdi and Gaskins are first-year students in Clemson’s MBA program, based in Greenville.

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