COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Eight teams are competing in the Sixth Annual Graduate Business Student Competition, reports state Development Director Bruce Johnson."The Graduate Business Student Competition is a great learning opportunity for Ohio business students," Johnson says. "This exciting event enables the students to develop and utilize the skills they've learned in class and apply them to the real-life business situations that they will encounter in their future careers. Each year, the GBSC provides tremendous contributions to Ohio businesses and the state's economic development community."Participating universities in this year's competition include Youngstown State University, the University of Dayton, Case Western Reserve-Weatherhead School of Management, Lake Erie College and Indiana Purdue at Fort Wayne.The competition is open to current college or university students pursuing a Masters of Business Administration or a similar business-related graduate degree. Students apply their knowledge by working through realistic challenges with existing Ohio firms. The student teams strategize and develop solutions for practical business problems, submit a written case study detailing the business scenario and present an oral presentation to a team of judges.The 2004 GBSC is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Development's Small Business Development Center Program, KPMG International of Cleveland and the Kent State University Foundation. Awards will be presented for the Top Written Case Study ($1,000); the Top Oral Presentation ($1,000); and the top three teams in the overall competition. The cash awards will be made payable to the winning universities or colleges for disbursement at their discretion.For the past five years, student teams, with the guidance of the faculty and SBDC advisers, have provided approximately $5.5 million in consulting services to Ohio small businesses. Ohio's Small Business Development Centers provide in-depth counseling, technical assistance and educational programs to Ohio's small businesses through 35 statewide offices. SBDCs are partnered with local universities, chambers of commerce and economic development authorities that share the mission of supporting and expanding Ohio's business community.Winners of this year's competition will be announced on April 30."