New York, April 13 — Drexel University’s DragonFire team of three students met L’Oreal’s challenge to “Invent the Professional Salon Experience of the Future” and took top honors in the L’Oreal Brandstorm 2018 case competition in a field of 52 teams over a two-day competition April 12-13.

Drexel LeBow College of Business bested Harvard, Berkeley, Northwestern, NYU, Michigan, NC A&T, Texas, and Southern Cal in the top ten.  Drexel is joined by co-champion Penn State in representing the United States in Paris for the L’Oreal World Championship in May.

Drexel LeBow College Seniors Shine

The Team of Drexel LeBow seniors Amalya Boulajouahel, Bianca Fernandes, and Laura Sturzeneggar pitched its concept for a sophisticated technological solution that links salons, customers, and L’Oreal in a way that utilizes big data to benefit all three.

L’Oreal’s talent acquisition executives, as well as David Greenberg – the President for L’Oreal’s Professional Products Division in North America – quizzed the team for at least an hour after the competition with questions about development and execution of the idea.

“The team’s commitment to develop their ideas and their dedication to learn and to grow as powerful and expressive business people was a major factor in their success in the competition,” said team faculty mentor Stanley Ridgley, associate clinical professor of management at LeBow.  “Our team offered L’Oreal a strong, scalable core concept that L’Oreal loved.  Now it’s on to Paris for the world championship!”

Drexel LeBow Management Department Chairman Murugan Anandarajan added “These young women represent the business spirit we inculcate in all our students as they learn the wealth-creation process – they exemplify the qualities of leadership, imagination, and technical savvy.  I’m truly proud of these young women, who are sterling ambassadors for LeBow.  Bravo!”