DEAN’S First
CASE CHALLENGE

Fall 2025 Case Logistics

You are to assume the role of a consultant hired by Duolingo, presenting to their executive leadership team.

The case focuses on the strategic challenges facing Duolingo’s leadership in 2025 as they seek to sustain growth beyond their core language-learning app. Duolingo faces critical gaps in its portfolio, particularly as it expands into subjects like math and music. CTO Severin Hacker must chart a vision that leverages generative AI, diversifies the brand into new areas of education, and secures long-term growth while maintaining the company’s core philosophy of accessible and gamified learning.

Using the case study, external research, and group discussions, develop three actionable strategies to help Duolingo expand its business and better apply AI to improve its brand perception

time slot sign up

FALL 2025 Launch

Purchase the Case Study

Round 1
september 12

10-minute PowerPoint presentation,
5-minute Q&A, 5-minute feedback
Judged by MCG Executive Board
Submission deadline Thursday, September 11th by 11:59pm
Sign up for a time slot HERE

Round 2
september 15

8 teams selected, assigned mentor
Virtually reviewed slidedecks by MCG executive board
Submission deadline Monday, September 15 by Noon (12:00pm)

Round 3
september 17

3 teams selected, using slidedecks from Round 2
12-minute PowerPoint presentation,
8-minute Q&A
Judged by top SOM faculty

Utilize our presentation resources page to help develop your slide deck.

One team member must submit the PowerPoint presentations as a PPTX and a PDF file by email to competitions@mcgbinghamton.com with each of your team members cc’d. The subject of your email should be: F25DFCC_[Mentor Name]_[Round #], for example: “F25DFCC_MPlotskerA_Round1”. Submissions received as Google Slides links or submissions received after the deadline will not be accepted.

On the day of your presentation, please bring a laptop with HDMI compatibility to present your slides. Business casual attire is required. Women should wear a conservative blouse or button-up shirt and dress pants with closed-toe flats or heels for shoes, jackets and blazers are optional. For men, a dress shirt with dress pants or khakis is appropriate, and a jacket and tie are optional. Shoes and belts should match, and avoid wearing jeans. During the presentation, competitors will be given time warnings at 5 minutes and 2 minutes.

September

5

friday

Dean's First Case Challenge Help Session #1

For MGMT 111 students competing in the Dean’s First Case Challenge. Learn about the basics of case competitions, effective presentation techniques, and workshop your own presentations.

1:00PM - 2:30PM

UU 111

Casual

september

10

Wednesday

Dean's First Case Challenge Help Session #2

For MGMT 111 students competing in the Dean’s First Case Challenge. Learn about the basics of case competitions, effective presentation techniques, and workshop your own presentations.

4:00PM - 5:30PM

UU 108

Casual

The Dean’s First Case Challenge (DFCC) takes place in the first week of the semester for MGMT-111 students. The competition consists of three rounds in which student teams read a Harvard Business Review case study, prepare their presentation, and present their case solutions to a panel of Management Consulting Group judges. Finalists will present in front of all 480+ of their MGMT-111 peers and a panel of top Binghamton University School of Management faculty.

Each team is a MGMT-111 mentor group. Before presenting, teams are briefed on key strategies and information they need to know in order to succeed in their first case competition. The MCG E-Board is there to make sure that while the teams are challenged, they also have the necessary support and information for them to understand the concepts of the competition. Reach out to contact@mcgbinghamton with any questions.

History

The first Dean’s Case Challenge ran in the Fall of 2014 with approximately 50 students involved. By 2017, the case became a mandatory and integral part of the MGMT-111 curriculum, acting as many students' first School of Management experience. The Dean's First Case Challenge is widely recognized by students as one of the best ways to prepare for the transition into the School of Management.

The Fall 2024 semester marked over ten years of MCG's involvement with the Dean's First Case Challenge. MCG's involvement is motivated by a desire to provide value to students through training and organization, while also allowing students to gain exposure to what the organization has to offer. With MCG’s involvement in the competition through collaboration with Associate Dean George Bobinski, the competition has thrived and grown to include both freshman and transfer students with 100 teams and 480 students participating in total.