Full Sail has a history of success at DECA's Collegiate Competitions. The team has consistently placed in a number of categories since its inception in 2014, and in 2016 Full Sail's team won an international DECA competition in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing category. This year, Full Sail's six-person team received first, second, third, and fourth place awards at DECA's virtual Collegiate State Competition in career clusters like Sales Management Marketing, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Human Resource Management, and more.

DECA is a nonprofit that prepares the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs to excel in fields like marketing and management. Their annual competitive collegiate events pit business-oriented students against each other to measure their proficiency in their chosen field.

Full Sail's DECA competitors usually participate in the Case Study Events. Students receive a realistic business problem to analyze, take 30 minutes to find a solution, then present their idea to DECA judges. The emphasis on real-world skills in Full Sail's business school makes the DECA team especially effective.

"Our business classes are very presentation-heavy," says Jackie Otero, Full Sail's Music Business and Entertainment Business program director. "They're used to having to pitch ideas and answer questions… Our students are really skilled in problem-solving."

This year's virtual competition looked a little different than a typical DECA event: Students met with judges in individual video conference rooms to present their case study solutions. But according to DECA judge and Entertainment Business Course Director Neal Ferrari, the same qualities separated DECA winners from the pack.

"The ones that stand out are the ones that take it seriously. They've got their research, and they just present well. And that's the key, I think."

Full Sail's entire DECA team has now qualified for the International Competition, which will be held virtually in April.

Here are the complete results from this year's virtual DECA competition:

1st Place:

• Travel & Tourism - Heath Hindman (Entertainment Business bachelor's)
• Sales Management Marketing - Simon Via (Entertainment Business bachelor's)
• Sports & Entertainment Marketing - Amarilis Colon Molina (Entertainment Business bachelor's) and Josean Montesino (Sports Marketing & Media bachelor's)

2nd Place:

• Hotel & Lodging - Heath Hindman

3rd Place:

• Human Resource Management - Sean Figueroa (Music Business Bachelor's/Entertainment Business Master's)
• Hotel & Lodging - Simon Via
• Marketing Management - Sean Figueroa

4th Place:

• Marketing Management - Sarah Cramer (Music Business Bachelor's/Entertainment Business Master's)
• Travel & Tourism - Sarah Cramer