When Illinois State University returns a team to the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) 2025 Student Case Competition in June, it will be as defending champions.

The student case competition, which the Redbirds won during their debut in the event last year, is just one part of the 35th annual IFAMA World Agribusiness Conference, hosted in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil June 22 to 26. The four-day event includes an Academic Symposium, Business Industry Forum, and networking. It moves from one country to another every year and is hosted by an ag school in that country.

This year, Harven Agribusiness School (Brazil) is helping IFAMA organize the student case competition, which is sponsored by two agribusinesses: SLC Agricola (a 1.2 million-acre diversified operation with corn, cotton, and soy) and Atvos (the second largest ethanol producer in Brazil and its largest issuer of decarbonization credits).

“It doesn’t get bigger than the IFAMA Conference,” said Dr. Iuliia Tetteh, associate professor of agribusiness at Illinois State and lead advisor to the team. “This is a global conference, the largest in the world. To be on that stage representing yourself and your university, that stretches our students and gets them out of their comfort zone.”

Tetteh, along with co-advisors Dr. Barb Ribbens, director of the Carson and Iris Varner International Business Institute, and Dr. Aslihan Spaulding, professor of agribusiness and food industry management in the Department of Agriculture, put together a formidable interdisciplinary team in 2024. Once again, this year’s team members are either agribusiness or international business majors, with five competitors and one alternate ready to make the trip. Tetteh has confidence in this new group.

“They are overachievers,” Tetteh said. “They have jobs, internships, and they are exceptionally strong academically. They also have great attitudes and are humble and grateful.”

At last year’s conference in Spain, 20 teams from nine countries competed in three divisions: undergraduate students, graduate students, and early career professionals (under 35-years old). Teams of three to five members competed to advance through the preliminary round, semifinals, and the grand finale round.

Illinois State’s winning team was presented with a case that described a lack of cohesion and uniformity in the supply chain within the seed industry. The team’s analysis identified a disconnect between farmers, producers, distributors, consumers, retailers, and researchers. Acting as hypothetical consultants, the team presented a technological solution in the form of an app and won the competition.

This year’s team consists of three agribusiness students and three international business students. Three are veterans from the 2024 team, and three are new. The three returnees are: team captain Patrick Collins, an agribusiness major; Rodney Billerbeck, agribusiness major; and Leo Krueger, an international business major. New to the team are: Marina Zanella, an agribusiness major from Brazil, who is attending IFAMA in her home country; Isabelle Ruiz, international business major; and Nathan Bys, international business major, who is team alternate.

Tetteh competed at IFAMA as a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, so she wanted her students to have the experience she so valued.

“I went a couple of times and enjoyed it, and I thought if I stay in academia, I want to take my students to this,” she said.

But it’s expensive, costing about $25,000 to take a team, so she’s had to be creative at fundraising. That included launching a Hatch campaign, IFAMA Agriculture and International Business-Illinois State Crowdfunding, to help defray travel expenses.

To make everything happen, Tetteh juggles a range of duties. In addition to raising money, she recruits and trains the team and handles travel planning and marketing.

In addition, she buys the team clothes that match—blouses, shirts, and ties—for the competition, and she holds predeparture orientation. There’s so much work that she created a team captain position to share the load.

“It’s fun but a lot of work,” Tetteh said. “So, I created an official team captain to help me, which Patrick Collins can put on his resume and talk about in job interviews.”

As a leader, Collins also has character traits that Tetteh was looking for. She saw firsthand last year when he was the freshman alternate, not scheduled to compete.

“With only a couple hours’ notice he was called in,” Tetteh said. “He never hesitated and stepped on the stage. I think he’s the kind of leader who will take care of team, incorporate everyone’s opinion, and make the tough call when he has to.”

Collins, who grew up on the family farm in Elburn, said he recalls last year being an intimidating but positive experience.

“I was anxious but did good, and we were ready, thanks to our advisors who prepared us for the pressure,” he said. “I was just very thankful to be there.”

He’s ready to get back to the competition and is optimistic about this year’s team.

“We’ve done a lot of team bonding through social events, so we blend really well,” Collins said. “We’ve been practicing with different cases from prior years, so we can attack whatever case we’re handed. It’s kind of like taking ground balls at practice not really knowing what game ground balls will be like.

“But I’m pumped. It’s an amazing opportunity.”

Leo Krueger, an international business major, is another returning member of the team. He called last year one of the best personal and professional experiences he’s ever had.

“I saw a new side of agriculture, food, and international business,” he said. “I am excited to explore more on a new continent with a new team and case study.”

Krueger said he would encourage other students to participate, calling the experience transformative.

“It’s a great way to learn outside of the classroom,” he said. “The best part is the amount of personal growth that comes from it. I was not the same person going into this that I am now, and I’m so grateful for that.”

As co-advisor, Ribbens helps develop the team by selecting the international business students, and she assists with the training process. 

“I do a bunch of case competitions and have for a decade, so I pick students who will contribute and excel in this type of competition and students who are interested in exploring ag and food production,” she said. “Plus, it takes guts, good old mental fortitude, to put yourself out there.”

Ribbens said that her and Tetteh’s varied experiences and disciplines provide a nice balance.

“We complement each other well,” she said. “We can present something to students in two different ways.”

Ribbbens said students learn teamwork, team spirit, confidence in each other, and trust. And the team has to do it all without any help from their advisors once the analysis and presentation begin.

“It’s like baby birds out of a nest,” she said. “We get them ready to fly, but it’s on them to fly. Winning was awesome, but the experience and learning are what matter most.”

As the team preps for the competition and travels to Brazil, follow along on Facebook at: IFAMA at Illinois State.