PVAMU’s winning team (from left to right): Jakarah Bell, Ashley Salinas, Daniel Smith, Dene Matadeen, Lance Long, Brittney Booker, and Dedrick Jackson Jr.
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (November 16, 2020) – For the second year in a row, Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) students won first place in the HBCU Battle of the Brains competition. The annual event was held virtually this year, and the PVAMU team impressed the judges with their knowledge, experience, and ability to work under pressure in a timed competition. Their reward: $25,000 in prize money.
“We brought it back home!” said College of Business (COB) faculty member and team advisor Audria Ford of the repeat title win. “Partnership, collaboration, strategy, and diversity made this team special.”
The seven-person team from PVAMU represented a broad range of academic disciplines, which resulted in a well-rounded group with varied perspectives. The team included:
- Daniel Smith, Team Captain, Executive MBA
- Dene Matadeen, Team Co-captain, Executive MBA
- Ashley Salinas, Accounting and Finance
- Jakarah Bell, Management and Information Systems
- Dedrick Jackson Jr., Computer Science
- Brittney Booker, Computer and Naval Science
- Lance Long, Computer Science
“We reached out across the campus to build a strong team,” said COB Dean Munir Quddus, Ph.D. “This year, the competition was even tougher than last year as we are dealing with the pandemic, the competition was virtual, and the number of participating HBCUs was higher. I applaud Professor Ford for keeping the faith. Our students are awesome, and I am so proud of them. As dean, I have encouraged our students to be engaged in college life and, especially, to take full advantage of contests and competitions at the national level. This exposure will do wonders for their confidence and networks.”
Sponsored by the National Football League (NFL), the HBCU Battle of the Brains competition pits teams of students from HBCUs against each other in a contest to develop and present solutions to real-world business and technology scenarios. This year’s competition involved a case study from the NFL, and students from 34 HBCUs working in teams to display their creativity and skill.
In a race against the clock, the PVAMU team accepted the challenge and worked to develop real-world solutions. Their task was to design a plan to assist the NFL in its ability to make key officiating decisions and decrease the rate of error in critical moments during football games.
Five deliverables were required to be completed within 24 hours, including an outline of a proposed solution; a 5-page business and marketing plan; executive summary; technology solution (mobile app, web interface, etc.); and a PowerPoint presentation/pitch deck.
PVAMU’s team came up with an idea for new technology that could enhance the in-game decision-making ability while ensuring the game’s integrity. Their recommendation was for NFL players to wear a “Mechanized Athlete: Can’t Touch This! Helmet.” The groundbreaking technology would provide expanded views of on-field action using two 180-degree cameras for a 360-degree vantage point from the player’s perspective. In addition, the team planned for an app called NFL First Watch to allow officials to transmit information from the helmet, in real time, to other officials in a central location. Replays would then be communicated to the on-field referees and viewed with a pair of Google Glass spectacles.
“Working together and supporting each other, we were able to rise to the top,” said Team Captain Smith. The biggest challenge, he says, was working within a limited amount of time and narrowing down the lengthy list of ideas they generated.
“Too many great ideas to work on in 24 hours,” Smith said. Because time was at a premium, team members sacrificed their need for sleep.
“I ended up taking a one-hour nap during the 24-hour challenge,” said Team Co-captain Dene Matadeen. “But Ashely Salinas and the computer science team were up the entire time!”
Audria Ford, Faculty Team Supervisor
In addition to the case study, the PVAMU team also participated in panel discussions and networking opportunities with representatives from corporate sponsors. Panelists from organizations like the NFL, Home Depot, Walmart, and Indeed spoke to the students about current global topics that sparked constructive dialog.
“I am impressed with the opportunities this organization brings to the arena for students. I observed PVAMU students leaving this event invigorated and inspired,” said Ford.
Ford is very proud of the team’s win but says she would be impressed with the students regardless of the competition’s outcome.
“Once you give something your all, you’re always winners in my book,” she said. “PVAMU Produces Productive People.”
###
By Angie Frederickson