DECA (organization)
Encyclopedia
DECA, also known as Collegiate DECA on the college level) is an international association of students and teachers of marketing
, management
and entrepreneurship
in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service (DECA.org). DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. It is one of ten organizations listed as Career and Technical Student Organization
s by the United States Department of Education
.
The International Career Development Conference (ICDC) is available to all qualifying DECA members.
The ICDC is held in a different city every year. Conference Locations for past and future years:
Competition hierarchy:
Other conferences at the high school level include:
DECA is divided into four divisions: High School, Collegiate DECA (College Division), Alumni, and Professional.
The High School Division is composed of individual chapters (DECA organizations within one school). Areas and Districts are grouped under a state association. State associations are grouped together as regions.
Collegiate DECA is organized in much the same way as High School DECA, except that chapters are by college, not high school. Collegiate DECA's membership is smaller than the high school division. Collegiate DECA, previously called Delta Epsilon Chi, was formed in 1970. This division functions as a student/professional division.
The Alumni division is for former DECA members, giving them a way to participate in DECA and give back to the organization after high school or college.
The Professional Division is made up of individuals who have become business or marketing professionals and are interested in helping to develop the next generation of business and marketing leaders.
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service (DECA.org). DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. It is one of ten organizations listed as Career and Technical Student Organization
Career and Technical Student Organization
Career and Technical Student Organizations are vocational organizations primarily based in high schools and career technology centers. Often, on the state level, they are integrated into Departments of Education or incorporated as non-profit organizations. Many states define CTSOs as "integral...
s by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
.
Conferences
The International Career Development Conference (ICDC) is available to all qualifying DECA members.
The ICDC is held in a different city every year. Conference Locations for past and future years:
- 1997 - Anaheim, California
- 1998 - Denver, Colorado
- 1999 - Orlando, Florida
- 2000 - Louisville, Kentucky
- 2001 - Anaheim, California
- 2002 - Salt Lake City, Utah
- 2003 - Orlando, Florida
- 2004 - Nashville, Tennessee
- 2005 - Anaheim, California
- 2006 - Dallas, Texas
- 2007 - Orlando, Florida
- 2008 - Atlanta, Georgia
- 2009 - Anaheim, California
- 2010 - Louisville, Kentucky
- 2011 - Orlando, Florida
- 2012 - Salt Lake City, Utah
- 2013 - Anaheim, California
- 2014 - Atlanta, Georgia
- 2015 - Detroit, Michigan
Competition hierarchy:
- Regional (in some areas, it's known as Area Competition or District Competition),
- State Career Development Conference (SCDC) or Provincial Competition (Canada)
- International Career Development Conference (ICDC)
Other conferences at the high school level include:
- State and Regional Leadership Conferences
- Central Region Leadership Conference (CRLC)
- The New York Experience
- District Competitive Event Conferences
- State Competitive Conferences (SCC)
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Conference
- North Atlantic Region Leadership Conference (NARCON)
- Western Region Leadership Conference (WRLC)
- Western Region Officer Training Camp (WROTC)
Structure
More than 60 years ago, DECA organized around an ambitious goal: to improve education and career opportunities for students interested in careers in marketing, management and entrepreneurship. Membership includes 180,000 students and advisers throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam, China, Korea,Japan,and Germany.DECA is divided into four divisions: High School, Collegiate DECA (College Division), Alumni, and Professional.
The High School Division is composed of individual chapters (DECA organizations within one school). Areas and Districts are grouped under a state association. State associations are grouped together as regions.
Collegiate DECA is organized in much the same way as High School DECA, except that chapters are by college, not high school. Collegiate DECA's membership is smaller than the high school division. Collegiate DECA, previously called Delta Epsilon Chi, was formed in 1970. This division functions as a student/professional division.
The Alumni division is for former DECA members, giving them a way to participate in DECA and give back to the organization after high school or college.
The Professional Division is made up of individuals who have become business or marketing professionals and are interested in helping to develop the next generation of business and marketing leaders.
National Officers
Collegiate DECA's National Officer Team consists of one President and four Vice Presidents. A new team of officers is elected every year at the International Career Development Conference by voting delegates from around the globe. The National Officer team assists corporate DECA with membership development and services, web site development, conference promotion, member and chapter encouragement, and service of the members and advisors.DECA National Officers
| Year | Position | Officer | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | DECA National President | Claire Coker | Tennessee |
| 2011–2012 | DECA Central Region VP | Micah Melling | Missouri |
| 2011–2012 | DECA North Atlantic Region VP | Jennifer Harrington | Delaware |
| 2011–2012 | DECA Southern Region VP | Kendra Wrightson | Florida |
| 2011–2012 | DECA Western Region VP | Johnny Martin | Arizona-REMOVED FROM OFFICE |
Collegiate DECA National Officers
| Year | Position | Officer | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | DECA National President | Paige Eldridge | Texas |
| 2011–2012 | DECA National Vice President | Dakota Dale | Mississippi |
| 2011–2012 | DECA National Vice President | Clayton Bradshaw | Oklahoma |
| 2011–2012 | DECA National Vice President | Emily Dziatlik | Utah |
| 2011–2012 | DECA National Vice President | Ron Schoolcraft | Wisconsin |
State Associations
- Pennsylvania DECA
- Illinois DECA
- Tennessee DECA
- California DECA
- Nevada DECA
- New Jersey DECA
- Texas DECA
- Connecticut DECA
- Massachusetts DECA
- Indiana DECA
- Missouri DECA
- Washington DECA
- New Hampshire DECA
- Oregon DECA
- Arizona DECA
- Maryland DECA
- Georgia DECA
- North Carolina DECA
- Missouri DECA
Sources
- History of DECA (from the Virginia DECA website)
- Competitive Event Listing (from the official DECA.org website)