1st edition of the Jeux du GRA is a great success
Over 200 HEC Montréal students competed
December 16, 2020
Over 200 of the School’s Bachelor’s in Business Administration (BBA) students took part in the 1st edition of the Jeux du GRA (Groupe Recrue de l’année) games, on November 21.
The games, presented by the HEC Montréal competitions committee (CCHEC) and the sports and recreation committee (CSL), gave the School’s students a real-life taste of the world of university competitions. The goal was to familiarize them with all aspects of the terms used, the competition events and their procedures.
A three-part experience
The games consisted of three parts: academics, sports and commitment. Because of the pandemic, the latter two sections were held virtually. Only the sports events were held in person, because the participants could be far enough apart during the individual competitions.
- Academics: 112 students had to solve 5 cases in 9 days and then present their solutions, online, to a jury of 20 judges. To help them they had two training sessions on the art of making presentations, offered by the School’s inter-university competitions service, and were twinned with a delegate from the same type of competition in the 2021 Jeux du Commerce, so that they could benefit from the experience of others in the student community.
- Sports: All in all, 36 students had to compete in 2 track and field events each, i.e. long jump and a 400-metre race. To encourage teamwork, the scores of the 6 students in each delegation were combined for every competition, although they were individual events.
- Spirit: 54 participants showed their full creative potential and adaptability through a variety of competitions, as they combined their skills in improvisation, creation, problem solving and pushing their limits.
The participants enjoyed an online talk with Paul Wilson, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Communications for the Groupe CH, live from the Montréal Canadiens locker room. Yoga and speed-dating sessions between delegations were also held, and door prizes were handed out, thanks to partners.
“What makes HEC Montréal unique is the opportunity to develop strong bonds with students from other 1st-year groups,” explains one of the main organizers, Alyson Guy, a 3rd-year BBA student. “But it’s not easy when gatherings are forbidden. That’s why the organizing committee decided to create an online speed-dating session to give participants a chance to network.”
A virtual gala and award ceremony brought together all the participants, along with some special guests to provide entertainment and atmosphere.
Congratulations to the organizers for this 1st edition, which will certainly not be the last, and to all the competitors, especially the winning teams in each section:
- Academics – Meriem Benzakour, Hugo Berthelet, Sarah Betems, Louise Blanc, Nathan Boisjoly, Zoé Bourcy, Lina Cheddadi, Rose Gagné, Nicolas-Alexandre Lalonde, Eléa Legros, Antoine Lévesque, Angélie Maheux, Juliet-Neve Maravita, Meriem Mehri, Marie-Ève Morissette, Christopher Nieman, Evelyne Péloquin, Étienne Poliquin Daher, Mathieu Prévost-Bérubé, Magalie Venne
- Spirit – Jonathan Beaulieu, Flavie Guévin, Dana Jehhar, Seth Kauffeisen, Miléna Lamoureux, Zak Mailloux, Camélie Martel, Guillaume Théberge, Xavier Trudel
- Sports – Edouard Doyon, Fanny Durivage, Mathilde Larose, Justine Lauzon-Lepage, Charles-Philip Lecavalier, Marc-Antoine Viau