The Ilitch School held its tenth annual Elevator Pitch Competition

The tenth annual Elevator Pitch Competition was held on Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Renaissance Center. Twenty Ilitch School students presented their elevator pitches to a panel of judges while riding the elevator to the top of the Renaissance center for a chance to win their share of $1,750 in scholarship money.  

This competition is held every year to help students hone their interview skills by pitching themselves to a prospective employer. They present their professional identity, skills and career goals all in the time it takes to ride the Renaissance Center elevator from top to bottom. This year the competition was made possible by generous support from WM, Doeren Mayhew and the Ilitch School Alumni Council.  

Following a weeklong series of workshops to perfect their pitches, 52 students participated in the semi-finals on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Twenty-five students went on to the final competition, and only three students took home their share of scholarship money. 

Those three students were Tharunika Thavani Vasudevan, a global supply chain management student who placed third, Caleb Galbraith, a finance student who placed second, and Salma Abdrabou, a technology, information systems and analytics student who took home first prize.  

Following winning first prize, Abdrabou said “it feels so great. I’m glad I put myself out there even though I was scared, and I am very proud of myself.” 

While the scholarship money is certainly a great prize, every student who competed learned practical skills for career readiness and will be better prepared for the next time they find themselves in an elevator with a CEO.