ATLANTA — A team comprising students Linda Ackah-Mensah, Tierra Anderson, Tyra Evans, and Cierra Williams representing Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business won the 2026 National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Graduate Case Competition on Sept. 24 in Los Angeles. In addition to bragging rights, the team received a $25,000 scholarship.
Eighteen university teams vied for the title, with seven advancing to the finals. The University of Pittsburgh and Southern University and A&M College took second and third, respectively. Stellantis, the multinational automotive corporation whose brands include Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep, sponsored the competition, which charged teams with examining Dodge’s position within the African American market.
Ackah-Mensah, Anderson, Evans, and Williams edged out the other contenders with a three-part strategy focused on converting Dodge’s existing cultural relevance into deeper engagement, reconnecting with consumers through experiences and messaging, and cultivating long-term relationships that could translate into the sustained brand loyalty and business value.
Teams had one month to analyze the case, formulate recommendations, and prepare their recommendations. But Ackah-Mensah, Anderson, Evans, and Williams, were hard at work well before then, being coached and mentored by Robinson faculty and staff using the college’s proprietary Case Prep Academy, a structured program comprising targeted modules, workshops, and mock presentations.
Founded by Jermaine Clarke of Graduate Student Engagement, Case Prep Academy equips students with critical skills in strategy, problem-solving, teamwork, and executive communication to build competitive readiness and to foster leadership, confidence, and career preparedness.
"I’m incredibly proud of the hard work, discipline, and dedication this Robinson team demonstrated throughout the Case Prep Academy process. Their success reflects both intentional preparation and their commitment to putting in the work,” Clarke said.
The champions reflected on their experience on LinkedIn.
Cierra Williams, a student in Robinson’s M.S.A. in Data Science & Analytics program, was named best presenter in a preliminary round bracket, receiving a $100 award for her outstanding performance.
“The best part for me was seeing everything come together. After so many long nights of brainstorming, revising and practicing, watching our ideas become a winning strategy showed me how much we can accomplish when we stay committed and driven,” Williams said.
MBA student Tierra Anderson studied psychology as an undergraduate. “I built experience across creative, communications, and marketing roles, and I’m now pursuing my MBA with a concentration in marketing. As I’ve become more interested in consumer insights, brand strategy, and understanding the ‘why’ behind consumer behavior, this case gave me the opportunity to bring all of those pieces together.”
Linda Ackah-Mensah, a student in Robinson’s M.S. in Information Systems program, reflected on the process of arriving at a winning proposal. “We researched. We built. We questioned our ideas. We changed them. We practiced. We went through multiple rounds of feedback and practiced some more. There were moments when we were tired and when we disagreed. But somewhere in all of that, four women with different perspectives built something we genuinely believed in.”
Like Cierra Williams, Tyra Evans is in the M.S.A. in Data Science & Analytics program. “What I’ll remember most about this experience is the people. I’m incredibly grateful to my teammates for the late nights, laughs, different perspectives, and trust that helped us turn four individual perspectives into one strategy. And doing it as an all-women team made the experience that much more meaningful.”
In addition to Clarke, who served as staff advisor and coach, the faculty and staff who mentored and coached Robinson’s National Black MBA team included Ashok Vairavan and Dave Paule of the Department of Management, Annabelle Ombac of Graduate Student Engagement, Pamela Hill of Graduate Career Advancement, and La’Kesha Hughes of Undergraduate Career Advancement.
"This team beat some of the most recognized business schools in the country, and they earned every bit of it. Drawing on their perspectives as students in the MBA, M.S.A., and M.S.I.S. programs, they developed a differentiated, well-structured strategy, and delivered it with poise and conviction,” said the team’s faculty advisor, Ashok Vairavan. “Behind that was strong team chemistry, competitive fire, and a relentless work ethic. They embody the best of Georgia State, and it was an honor to coach them to a national championship."