Guest Post By: Tanishka Vijayasekhar and Jenna Frase

Jacksen Bice is an OOHS DECA alum who graduated in 2025 and now attends the Farmer School of Business at Miami University. Jackson won 2nd place Ohio CDC 24′, 3rd place Ohio CDC 25′, and is a two time ICDC qualifier in financial consulting.

After graduating from Orange what has your journey towards your career looked like? 

“So far, my journey has been quite the adventure to college. Going to Miami University, I wasn’t sure how to stay involved and surround myself with like-minded people. When I got to the Farmer School of Business, I immediately knew that I found people with similar goals as me. I’ve been lucky enough to join multiple organizations, including managing an investment fund of over $50,000 and joining Miami’s premier business fraternity. With some networking and connections, I also have the opportunity to complete a wealth management internship this upcoming summer in Columbus. All of this I wouldn’t have expected, however I came in with an open mind and made the best with my surroundings.”

What was the best memory you made in DECA?

“My favorite DECA memory was probably experiencing 2024 ICDC in Anaheim my junior year. I made tons of new friends and made so many memories with the people around me.”

What was your biggest takeaway from DECA?

“My biggest takeaway from Orange DECA is to never be afraid to go above and beyond. Don’t be afraid to put in the extra work because you never know when it will pay off in the future. I am a big believer that you do the big things how you do the small things, so making sure that every detail matters is very important.”

How do you think your experience with DECA helped you in life?

“My experience in DECA has helped me in countless ways, but I would say that my communication skills have improved significantly. Learning how to communicate between teams, administrators, and other businesses all plays a big role in your success as a chapter. Anyone can use this in their life, and it’ll add lots of value in any scenario.”

What is one piece of advice you would give current DECA students at OOHS?

“One piece of advice that I would give is to keep an open mind in every situation. Nobody knows everything, so there is always an opportunity to learn and find out more about something. Going into a situation with a preconceived view will never help you grow in the future. DECA has influenced my career by making me a better leader in many aspects.”

How has DECA influenced your career today?

“I’ve learned better presentation skills, leadership characteristics, and many other things which help round out my role in whatever I try to do in the future. Getting that real world experience is always a good thing and helped me get used to what that looks like in a real business.” 

How do you use what you learned in DECA today?

“I use what I learned in DECA today for everyday tasks, such as homework or coffee chats. Prioritizing what needs to get done and staying organized is a large part of my day, and I can confidently say that DECA helped me figure out how to manage that.”

What were your favorite aspects of DECA?

“My favorite aspects of DECA were the individual aspects of managing the business. I have always had an interest in finance and accounting, and being able to do hands-on work for a business in that field was very rewarding. It also helped me decide what I wanted to pursue in college and as a career down the road.”

How do you think experience with DECA has helped you in life?

“I think that my DECA experience has helped me in life because it showed me the leader I could be and how to achieve that. In my leadership role within DECA, I think that it was a great stepping stone to the next level, as well as a fantastic opportunity to grow not only as a leader, but as a person. DECA has helped me in more ways than I can count and I believe that there is no better opportunity to prepare yourself for success in the future.”