First-year Huskers boost MotoAmerica through inaugural Business Battle

Six young men in suits pose with a poster that reads "Business Battle Winner" in the Howard L. Hawks Hall atrium.

Jordan Opp | University Communication and Marketing

First-year students in the Introduction to Business (MNGT 101) course win the inaugural Business Battle at the College of Business in December.

A record 975 first-year business students at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln began tackling real-world challenges on their first day of college this fall.

In Introduction to Business, the first course in the college’s new undergraduate curriculum, students explored different areas of business before teaming up with peer coaches and business professionals for their first collegiate competition, the inaugural Business Battle.

“Most business schools wait until junior and senior year before introducing students to industry professionals, but we wanted to do that for our freshmen,” said Laurie Miller, associate dean of undergraduate programs and curriculum. “Day one, we introduced them to corporate partners, real-world business challenges and mentors from our business community.”

Richard Varner, chief financial officer of MotoAmerica and a Husker alumnus, talks with a male student. — Richard Varner, chief financial officer of MotoAmerica and a Husker alumnus, talks with a student after visiting with the Introduction to Business class to introduce the Business Battle.

Taught by Shawntell Kroese, assistant professor of practice in management, the course replaces a traditional textbook with industry speakers, business faculty and an applied case study.

“The goal is to show them the opportunities available and build their confidence as they figure out which path makes the most sense for them,” Kroese said.

Sponsored by MotoAmerica, the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America, the Business Battle is a fast-paced, high-stakes challenge developed in partnership with the organization. Richard Varner, chief financial officer of MotoAmerica and a Husker alumnus, emphasized the importance of this early exposure to business.

“My first class was a 7:30 a.m. accounting course, with no context for how that fit into business,” he said. “New students need to learn the different facets of business and then figure out where they might fit best. They need to find out early, not wait until they’re a junior and have to change majors.”

Teamwork across generations and industries

The course features a multi-level mentorship model that includes 27 upper-class students serving as Management 101 coaches and more than 60 business professionals who volunteer as business consultants during the competition phase.

“Richard Varner believed so deeply in this course that he wanted to help fund the student coaches,” said Jess Fernau, assistant director of experiential learning. “It’s incredible to have an industry partner who not only sponsors the competition, but invests in developing freshmen.”

Varner, a former Nebraska football player and longtime member of the Dean’s Advisory Board, said coaches are critical to helping teams make decisions, just like in the business world.

A young man leads a small group of students in a classroom. — Kush Abdulloev, a Husker alumnus who works at Spreetail, coached multiple teams, including the one that won the 8:30 a.m. class section.

“I wanted to be part of something that will keep building momentum down the road,” he said.

Coaches led weekly recitations in which students applied course concepts through activity-based assignments, including analyses of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as AI-driven decision-making exercises. They also met one on one with students to support them as they navigated campus life.

“As coaches, we also help freshmen connect with campus resources,” said Christian Newcomer, a junior management major from Lincoln. “We’re someone they can turn to with questions they might be nervous to ask in class.”

Kapil Mansinghani, a senior international business major from Muscat, Oman, said coaches also helped students plug into organizations and engagement opportunities across campus.

“We help create a safe place for students to ask questions and find their community on campus,” he said.

The consultants also met with each team during the final weeks of the course to offer strategic guidance as the freshmen prepared their pitches.

“In their first semester, there is a lot of change, so establishing connections and relationships is very important,” said Erika Casarin, Ameritas recruiter, course mentor and Husker alumna. “My experience at the College of Business was so special that I want to help support students as they go through this hands-on experience.”

The inaugural Business Battle

Varner, who cofounded MotoAmerica in 2014, returned to his alma mater in November to present the Business Battle. He tasked freshmen with developing a fresh ticket-sales strategy for MotoAmerica’s Circuit of the Americas race in Texas, one of the nation’s premier racing venues, which is near a crowded entertainment marketplace.

“It’s like yelling in a canyon,” Varner said. “You can spend a fortune on advertising, and no one hears you.”

Teams of six or seven students presented multiple times: first for consultant feedback; then in practice rounds for peers; and finally in the competition round for Varner, consultants, faculty, staff and classmates.

Six young women display the commemorative coins they earned during the inaugural Business Battle. — Students received a Business Battle challenge coin from MotoAmerica for completing the challenge.

“The winning teams gave us insight on how to reach audiences differently, and their strategies demonstrated the greatest empathy and the most bravery. Curiosity drove all those things,” Varner said. “The next Business Battle sponsor will get satisfaction from this experience because they love the college and want to support these students.”

All students received a challenge coin from MotoAmerica, and an audience vote determined the top team in each course section.

“I’m so proud of our team and everyone else who competed, and we appreciate the help from our peer mentors and our business consultant,” said Michael Jones, a freshman management major from Omaha. “We would love to see the COTA race and present some of our profitable ideas again.”

Vivian Beck, a freshman international business and French major from Overland Park, Kansas, said she looks forward to working with the same students in the spring.

“As an out-of-state student, it was difficult not knowing anyone, but through this business class, I created strong friendships,” she said. “I look forward to continuing with the same classmates in the spring. The better you know each other, the better you can work together.”

Kroese reflected on the first-semester course with pride.

“Taking this course early in their college careers should help students throughout their time at the college as they take new courses, internships or get involved on campus,” she said. “The students’ energy is contagious, and I can’t wait to see where they go next as they race toward their future.”

One team from each class section won the Business Battle. The winners are listed below by hometown with their current class standing and academic major(s).