Two teams of Management Information Systems students at UALR have been selected to compete in Microsoft’s National Imagine Cup Software Design Initiative Finals Competition.

The Imagine Cup is Microsoft’s biggest competition and one in which the corporation invests in each year. UALR fielded eight teams this year – six from the College of Business and two from Engineering and Information Technology (EIT). It was a national record for any university in the country. The previous record was set by Virginia Commonwealth University, which three years ago fielded five teams.

The two winning UALR teams will join 13 others from across the nation to compete at the national finals May 1-5 at Massachusetts Institution of Technology.

“Considering this is the first year UALR has ever participated in the competition, I believe our students have performed extraordinarily well,” said Janet Bailey, associate professor of management. “The two teams that are representing us are both exceptional, and we have an excellent chance of winning at the national level although we have a great deal of hard work still in front of us.”

The winner of the national contest will go on to compete at the world level in Cairo, Egypt.