LEWISTON, Idaho — A team of three students from Lewis-Clark State College claimed first place at the CapSource Case Competition in April.
The team included William “Cy” Wareham, a senior studying business administration and computer science; Jessica Riggs, a sophomore studying in computational biology; and Damaris Schwartz, a sophomore studying business informatics.
For the competition, teams created a strategic playbook to contribute to an active three-year intercountry research study titled “Building the Evidence Base: Advancing Maternal Health through Ultrasound Integration in Sub-Saharan Africa,” which aimed at utilizing AI-enabled Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS). The LC State team competed against 170 students from around the globe.
Wareham, Riggs, and Schwartz will have the opportunity to continue working on the study moving forward, with the potential for publication. The team was also awarded $800.
The judges highlighted the Warrior team’s depth of knowledge and their evident effort to engage seriously with the issue, said Jennifer Uptmor, LC State assistant professor and team coach.
“Much of that strength is credited to the interdisciplinary makeup of the team itself,” Uptmor said. “Drawing on expertise across business, technology, and the sciences, the students were able to approach the challenge from multiple perspectives — a combination that proved to be a winning strategy.”
LC State’s team also stood out for their creativity and discernment, Uptmor said. While AI use was anticipated for the competition, the Warrior team utilized the tool to augment their presentation as opposed generate content.
“What impressed me most was how these students used AI as a tool for efficiency, not a substitute for critical thinking,” Uptmor said. “The depth of understanding they brought to this project was entirely their own. I am incredibly proud of the dedication, effort, and enthusiasm this team poured into their work. Their futures are bright, and because of that, I believe ours is too.”
For Wareham, this marks back-to-back standout finishes on the international stage. Having led last year's LC State team to a second-place finish in the IACBE International Student Case Study Competition, Wareham “brings unmatched competition experience — and proved once again to be a key anchor of the team,” Uptmor said.