Three FIU Business students brought home a first-place finish from one of the nation’s premier collegiate marketing events, earning top honors at the 2026 American Marketing Association International Collegiate Conference in Chicago.
Vania Fuentes, Arthur Cardoso De Santi and Eaindray Shin Thant won the Marketing Business Simulation Competition at the annual conference, held March 12-14 in Chicago. The event is a three-day gathering centered on competitions, chapter activities, career preparation and networking for student marketers.
For the FIU team, the victory marked more than a competition win. It was the first time all three students had attended the conference, and they said the experience tested not only their technical skills, but also their ability to work under pressure and trust one another.
The team prepared for about three weeks before traveling to Chicago, where they faced an early morning start and a lengthy simulation that required them to build and run a business from the ground up. Unlike a traditional case competition, the event challenged students to make real-time decisions in a marketplace simulation involving bicycle sales, advertising, pricing, store expansion and staffing across multiple global regions.
Because FIU students had already worked with the simulation platform in marketing and logistics coursework, the team entered with a level of familiarity that helped them move quickly once the competition began. Even so, the challenge intensified as the rounds progressed, requiring them to manage more stores, more products and more strategy decisions with each phase.
Rather than splitting the work into rigid roles, the three students said they collaborated constantly, adjusting responsibilities as needed. Shin focused on finance, Cardoso De Santi handled product design, and Fuentes concentrated on areas such as store expansion and advertising, but all three contributed throughout the competition. What stood out most, they said, was the balance they struck between concentration and camaraderie.
Fuentes said the team stayed grounded by reminding one another to enjoy the experience.
When the winners were announced, that mindset paid off.
“We were so ecstatic,” Fuentes said, recalling the moment FIU appeared on screen in first place. “We all ran to each other and we hugged and we just celebrated.”
Cardoso De Santi said the experience reinforced how much a strong team dynamic can shape performance.
“I feel like the community aspect helped us a lot,” he said. “Working together was the best way to go about it.”
The students also credited FIU’s AMA chapter and faculty support for helping them succeed, including guidance from Raymond Rody, associate teaching professor of marketing and logistics, and encouragement from fellow chapter leaders and teammates. Beyond the title, the team said the experience deepened friendships, built confidence and showed the value of saying yes to opportunities outside the classroom.
For Shin, that may be the biggest takeaway for other students considering competitions or student organizations.
“At the end of the day, it is not about winning,” Shin said. “It’s about learning and enjoying the whole process.”