Gather. Nurture. Empower. These three words clearly describe what the HKUST Case Analysis Team (CAT) embodies. Gather, to gather like-minded individuals who are passionate about cracking cases. Nurture, to pass on systematic case competition knowledge and experiences. Empower, to encourage and support participation in international case competitions (ICCs). To this day, I can still recall the information session I sat in during my first year and the emphasis on the give-and-take culture in the team.
 
Having just graduated from GBUS, I would say applying to CAT was one of the best decisions I have made at university. Bringing trophies back to HKUST has always been our top-of-mind goal when preparing for ICCs. However, throughout my years as a member and head committee member of CAT, I have gained valuable friendships, exposure, and skillsets that will forever be crucial down the road in my career.
 
As a freshman and a new CAT member, I was grateful to have received intensive training from seasoned alums and head committee members. I also teamed up with three other GBUS students and represented HKUST in the Joint-University Case Competition (JUCC). The experience of working as a team under immense time constraints and delivering a professional analysis was an eye-opening experience for me. Although it might not be a huge achievement, bringing home a 3rd- runner-up has encouraged us to continue our casing journeys beyond our first year.
 
After consolidating the knowledge and experience gained in my first year, I was honored to team up with two seniors to compete in the Australian Undergraduate Business Case Competition (AUBCC) in 2019. This was also one of the last case competitions held offline before COVID-19 hits. We competed with 13 international teams on three cases over 4, 6, and 12 hours in both boardroom and presentation formats. Our team was able to analyze and provide solutions to a local charity organization, a financial credit union, and an international textbook provider. As a junior team member, I am utmost grateful to have received training from senior members. Establishing friendships with intelligent minds across the globe has broadened my horizon regarding different cultures and business practices, which have also been helpful for my studies at GBUS.
 

Moving onto my third year with CAT, I have stepped up and become one of the head committee members of the team. Taking on a leadership role has empowered me to pass on the knowledge and experience I gained from fellow seniors to the rising juniors on the team. I was also involved in organizing training events, membership recruitments, etc., which granted me the chance to contribute to the team from another perspective. On the other hand, that year was also challenging for the team. Due to COVID-19, most ICCs were either canceled or moved online. Despite all these challenges, we were able to adapt by being agile. I was also thrilled to have represented HKUST with three other CAT members in the Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge 2020 (TUBC2020). I was also no longer a junior member, whereby I was able to provide new directions to the team whenever it was needed. In the spring semester of my third year of studies, I represented HKUST in the Central European Case Competition 2020. We finally brought home a 1st- runner-up on an international stage. I could still vividly recall the intense 10-week practices we had before the competition, which included mock-casing and extensive industry research given a different cultural landscape. I also led the team with another seasoned member and passed on my knowledge to a junior team member.
 
From Hong Kong to Australia, Thailand, and Hungary, GBUS and CAT have pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to achieve beyond what I could have imagined back then. The sleepless nights and thought-provoking debates have enriched my way of thinking and presentation. The give-and-take culture is also something intrinsic to GBUS and CAT, which have fostered immense growth and learning in me. GBUS, as a closely knitted community, is a place for you to unmask your talents and take them beyond your imagination.