A team of students from the Naveen Jindal School of Management traveled to the University of Minnesota recently to compete in CoMIS 2025, a student-run case competition presented by the Carlson School of Management.
A team composed of Neawor (Niko) Taha and Yash Varma, both Computer Information Systems and Technology (CIS Tech) seniors, and Safa Ashraf, an Information Technology and Systems senior, was one of 16 teams that competed and finished as second runner-up.
According to its website, “CoMIS is an opportunity for future IT leaders to test their business acumen, problem-solving, teamwork, and presentation skills against those of their peers in a case competition designed to simulate real-world business conditions.”
This year’s competition introduced a new twist. In addition to a 24-hour case, students were tasked with undertaking a fast-paced 8-hour case.
For the latter, the team’s priority was to laser-focus on the core problem and communicate their solution as clearly and effectively as possible within the tight timeline, Ashraf explained.
In contrast, the 24-hour case gave the team the luxury of more thorough discussion and multiple iterations.
“We had time to challenge each other’s ideas through poking holes in our solutions, the same way the judges would, and refine our solution through constructive debate — ultimately leading to a much more polished final product,” she said.
“The biggest challenge was managing the 24-hour case timeline and making sure we stayed on track.
“While 24 hours sounds like a lot of time, creating a novel yet feasible solution, a visually appealing slide deck to explain it, and finally mastering the presentation delivery is a huge task,” Taha said. “Plus, we had to balance it all with getting enough sleep.”
To overcome this problem, the team went in with a structured game plan.
“We mapped out everything we could in advance, including sleep, meals, and work schedules, while accounting for fatigue,” Taha said. “We also pre-assigned general roles based on each person’s strengths and built a master slide deck framework ahead of time. This allowed us to hit the ground running the moment the case was delivered to us.”
After the team members finished presenting their 24-hour case, they embraced their coach, Sunela Thomas, director of the MS in Business Analytics & Artificial Intelligence program at the Jindal School, and their alternate team member, Praneeta Srinivas, a CIS Tech junior.
“Because we had no communication with them during the case deliberation, finally reuniting after such an intense experience and presenting something we were extremely proud of was an emotional and unforgettable moment for all of us,” Varma said. “Regardless of the outcome of the competition, we felt that we had won in that moment.”
Taha said this was the team’s first time competing at CoMIS, but not UTD’s first.
“A team from UTD competed last year and made it to the finals (top 5 out of 16), so we were fortunate to learn from their experiences,” he said. “Huge thanks to them for helping us prepare.”
Ashraf said CoMIS felt like a “consulting boot camp” and a real-world, low-stakes trial of what working on business cases feels like.
“Although not all of us are pursuing consulting directly, the experience showed us the critical role business strategy plays, even for those of us entering tech-focused careers,” she said. “Yash and Niko saw how business objectives tie back into tech projects. I am heading into technology risk consulting, so I felt right at home and even more excited for what’s ahead.”
She added that, beyond professional growth, the biggest takeaway for her was confidence — in herself, her skills, and her ability to thrive under pressure.
Varma said courses he had taken at the Jindal School taught him how all the pieces of business fit together.
“It wasn’t just about applying a single lesson from class — we had to think about the bigger picture, long-term impacts, and how different business functions connect,” he said. “That comprehensive view of business strategy made a huge difference in how we tackled the case and built our solutions.”
A huge part of what Varma has learned, he said, comes from the fact that many professors are adjuncts with real-world industry experience.
“They consistently tie what we learn in the classroom to actual practice, so we’re never left wondering, ‘How does this apply in real life?’” he said. “It always feels relevant and actionable.”
He added that coursework alone was not what helped prepare him.
The team also benefited from extensive training from Dr. Prajakti Akarte, an assistant professor of instruction in the Jindal School’s Information Systems Area and director of the BS in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence.
“Her sessions, particularly around design philosophy and the art of data storytelling, truly set us apart from other presenting teams,” Varma said. “Through her training, we were able to craft presentations that were not only strategic but also impactful.”
Coach Thomas said the students on the team are a testament to the caliber of talent that is nurtured at the Jindal School.
“At JSOM, we take immense pride in our students’ dedication, professionalism and drive to represent the school at the highest level,” she said. “These students prepared thoroughly, carried themselves with confidence and truly exemplified what it means to be business-ready.”
