DECA

For Over 20 Years, Northwood’s DECA Chapter is Where Future Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs Get Their Start.

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

Northwood DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management through hands-on learning and competitive experience. With a strong focus on professional development and individual growth, the chapter provides students with opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real business situations. Members develop skills in leadership, communication, and problem solving while gaining valuable experience that prepares them for future careers in business.

We’re proud to host the largest DECA chapter in Michigan, with over 60 members who think like leaders and step into roles that matter. Students are encouraged to take on leadership opportunities both within the chapter and across the state. Over the years, multiple Northwood students have held leadership positions for the Michigan DECA organization, and at times Northwood students have filled all three student leadership roles: President, Vice President, and Secretary.

Members compete at the local, state, national, and international levels, where they solve real business problems, present strategic ideas, and receive feedback from industry professionals. These competitions give students the opportunity to test their skills in a real-world setting while building confidence and professional experience. On average, Northwood DECA brings around 30 students to attend the national conference each year, and nearly 20 continue on to compete at the international level.

Northwood DECA recently competed in the annual DECA State Career Development Conference in Bay City, Michigan at the beginning of February. The chapter saw great success, securing four first-place awards, four second-place awards, one third-place award, and nine finalist finishes. As a result, nine students will travel to Louisville, Kentucky in late April to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference.

Over the past three years, Northwood students have continued to demonstrate excellence on the international stage, earning two first-place awards and one third-place award at the International DECA competition. Despite being a small, private university, Northwood consistently competes against top schools across Michigan, including Wayne State University, Michigan State University, and Central Michigan University. On the national level, the chapter competes against major universities such as Arizona State, Butler, Clemson, Colorado State, Columbia, Gonzaga, Indiana University, LSU, Purdue, Rice, Rutgers, Utah State, and Wichita State, continuing to prove that Northwood students can compete with the best in the country.

Email: