It’s not everyday that a 1980s group is revived at CSU. But that’s the case with the return of the university’s business marketing club, DECA.
Alex Carter, an advisor in the College of Business recently reintroduced DECA to CSU in fall 2012. While Carter was not involved in DECA at the high school or collegiate level, she said she is a student at heart.
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“What DECA has to offer students is the opportunity,” Carter said. “We are hoping to have a couple workshops and training sessions that will appeal to our members and those other interested students.”
Organized at the state, district and local level, Colorado DECA is split into four collegiate levels including CU–Boulder, CU–Colorado Springs, Johnson and Wales College of Business and most recently CSU.
DECA organizers test participants’ on their knowledge and career exploration every year at national and regional conferences.
Colorado DECA is a chartered State Association of National DECA and is set up on the state constitution and bylaws developed by their members. Colorado DECA runs on 17 elected officers: president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, publicity director and 12 regional vice presidents.
“This international association is comprised of two levels on the high school and collegiate level,” Vaughan said. “Our goal is to prepare and train students outside of the classroom and give them real life experience for their futures.”
Casey Cook, CSU DECA chapter president, currently works a full-time job with the Department of Agriculture at CSU, in addition to going to school. Cook recently decided to attend CSU to obtain a degree after serving in the military for 11 years.
“You can only get so far in life without a degree,” Cook said. “DECA has the opportunity to become a strong organization. It is all about what we can do to help them help us.”
Student advisor of Colorado Everett Vaughan has been working with CSU for the last year and a half on the development of the chapter.
“We are focusing on what we can do to help them and how they can help us grow to becoming a better organization,” Cook said.
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Members are given a scenario 10 to 30 minutes before meeting with a judge where they will be judged on five performance indicators. Based on performance, students are ranked and receive stage recognition for the top ten and trophies within the top three.
Although the CSU DECA chapter will not be competing at the upcoming conference in Colorado Springs, Carter and Cook will be holding a booth for recruitment. The CSU DECA chapter is focusing on recruiting and training this semester with hopes to send a few members to the national competition in California in April.
In the upcoming weeks, CSU DECA will host guest speakers from local businesses OtterBox and New Belgium Brewery.
On Feb. 6, the CSU DECA chapter will hold a membership drive at 6 p.m. in Rockwell Hall North. All interested members of all majors are invited to come.
For more information on Colorado DECA or joining the CSU chapter, visit their website at www.deca.cccs.edu.
Collegian Writer Haleigh Hamblin can be reached at news@collegian.com.
