Cover Slides for Student Team Presentations
During the Fall 2025 semester, the Rutgers SMLR Human Resource Management (HRM) Department held its annual internal Jim Chelius Case Competition. This year's competition, sponsored by Currie & Brown, started with an examination and extensive deliberation by our Rutgers HRM Department of papers written by a total of 13 participating teams. Finalists were chosen based on their in-depth analysis related to the HR culture and relevant metrics to support implementation/integration.
The Case: Reimagining HR + Operations with AI
Five student teams were chosen to move on to the final round of the case competition, consisting of 2 graduate teams and 3 undergraduate teams. These teams were challenged to explore how HR and Operations can collaborate more deeply by using artificial intelligence (AI) to unlock new ways of working, while ensuring that people remain at the center of the decision-making process.
The final round of the case competition was held on November 7, 2025, in which our talented student teams presented professional and insightful solutions virtually to executives at Currie & Brown. The presentations were a result of immense research, analysis, and collaboration over the course of several weeks leading up to the final round. These teams consisted of the following students:
Graduate Teams:
- Evangelos Kousoulas, Priyanka Shah, and Brian Mejia
- Sarah Tubbs, Shweta Nawkar, Ankita Lamsal, and Yiyang Li
Undergraduate Teams:
- Jennyfer Garces, Joanna Belesaca, Rida Hashmi, and Grace Brown
- Momar N'Diaye and Jeffrey Torres
- Savannah Fedon, Leeor Ginzburg, and Mia Ovadia
Special thanks to Mani Ejjada, graduate student in our MHRM program, for her tremendous efforts organizing this year's competition!
And the Winners Are...
After the students presented, Currie & Brown executives deliberated to select the winning teams and shared professional insights and valuable feedback to all of the participants.
FIRST PLACE was awarded to the graduate student team consisting of Sarah Tubbs, Shweta Nawkar, Ankita Lamsal, and Yiyang Li.
SECOND PLACE was awarded to the undergraduate team consisting of Jennyfer Garces, Joanna Belesaca, Rida Hashmi, and Grace Brown.
THIRD PLACE was awarded to the undergraduate team consisting of Savannah Fedon, Leeor Ginzburg, and Mia Ovadia.
Congratulations to all of the winning teams and to all of the participants on their hard work and professionalism in preparing and presenting solutions to this year's case competition challenge!
Members of the student teams who presented virtually from the Janice Levin Building celebrated their achievements with SMLR faculty and staff members after the results were announced.
Many of the students also took time to reflect on their experiences in this year's case competition. View interviews with the case competition participants here:
> smlr.rutgers.edu/2025CaseCompetition_Recap
A huge thank you to Currie & Brown for sponsoring this year's case competition!
About the Competition
The Jim Chelius Case Competition was established in 2012 to provide Rutgers HR students with experience in handling industry-related challenges. Students are provided feedback from experts within the HR field, while practicing public speaking and analytical skills. The competition is named after revered former School of Management and Labor Relations professor, Jim Chelius.
