DECA Chapter Makes Strong Debut at State Conference

Northern Michigan University business students placed in every event they entered at the Michigan Collegiate DECA State Conference, marking a strong debut for the university's newly established DECA chapter. First-place winners Maya Van Berkum and Autumn Brutyn will advance to the International Career Development Conference in Louisville, Ky., in late April.

Four NMU students competed in six events: professional sales, entrepreneurship, starting a business, event planning, entrepreneurship operations and a pitch contest. Van Berkum earned first place in the pitch contest and second place in the business plan competition. Brutyn earned first place in entrepreneurship operations and third place in the professional selling competition. Julia Hanselman and Brooke Kluz won fourth place in the event-planning competition.

A total of 254 students competed in 25 possible events at the conference. Students had approximately two weeks to prepare their presentations and projects before the state conference.

The Collegiate DECA program at NMU, with instructor Corinne Bodeman as adviser, was formally recognized in January 2026, making this competition the chapter's first official event.

The NMU College of Business launched the chapter after identifying strong interest among prospective and current students. DECA is a nationally recognized organization that prepares emerging leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality, management and entrepreneurship.