University High School’s DECA chapter had a strong showing at the 2026 State Career Development Conference (SCDC), with eight students earning recognition and two students qualifying for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) this spring.
DECA is a national organization that prepares students for careers in business, marketing, finance, and hospitality through competitive events, networking, and leadership development. At SCDC, students compete against top talent from across Indiana in rigorous events that include business case studies, role-play scenarios judged by industry professionals, and comprehensive written exams.
This year, 33 University High School students attended the conference, representing the school across a range of competitive events. Eight students earned recognition through top placements, finalist finishes, or high exam scores.
ICDC Qualifiers from University High School
Two students earned top-four finishes, qualifying them to compete at the international level:
2nd Overall
• Ava Deng — Human Resources Management
• Sonali Guttikonda — Business Services Marketing
In addition, several University students reached the Top 10 finalist round in their events, including Julian Eli, Madie Encinia, Renner Langellier, Elliot Glennan, and Sam Purdie.
Students can also earn recognition for exceptional performance on the 100-question DECA exam, which requires students to score 85 percent or higher. This distinction was earned by Sam Purdie, Stella Meehan, and Elliot Glennan, highlighting their strong knowledge of business concepts and preparation for competition.
The International Career Development Conference (ICDC) will take place April 25–29 in Atlanta, bringing together thousands of top DECA students from across the United States and around the world to compete at the highest level.
University High School congratulates all of its DECA competitors for their dedication and hard work at this year’s conference and looks forward to cheering on Ava and Sonali as they represent the school at ICDC.