With a win Saturday at the Human Resource Games regional finals in Knoxville, Tenn., one of N.C. State’s teams will advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C. June 25.

A total of three teams from NCSU participated in the competition, each designated with a different colored set of polo shirts. All three teams placed in the top four spots in statewide competition held March 20 on campus.

“I knew there were three likely answers in the category of ‘central tenancy’ — mean, mode and median,” Sean Gutowski, a senior in human resources management and a member of the NCSU HR Games team, said. “Two had been used as answers — so, before even two words were uttered, I slammed down the bell because I just knew the answer would be, ‘What is the mode?'”

As it turned out, Gutowski’s correct answer killed the momentum of the challenging team from Peace College. “It was the decisive point in the game,” he said.

The regional competition, sponsored by the Society for Human Resources Management, resulted in a first place win for the team composed of Heather Pardue, a senior in business management, Jason Mo, a junior in business management, and Gutowski. “It’s a Jeopardy [game show] format that encompasses the whole HR body of knowledge,” Pardue said.

In the competition, teams of three students quickly confer and then ring a buzzer, trying to be first with the correct answer before the other team responds.

Rounds advance with more difficult questions and higher point rewards similar to the ‘Jeopardy’ format.

Pardue explained that under game rules, a contestant can challenge an answer.

“I challenged their answer. The judge went to a senior judge and they ruled my answer correct,” said Pardue.

The SHRM is sponsored by faculty members Shannon Davis and Jodi Barnes, both professors of business management.

The team practiced extensively, utilizing their professors as coaches.

“It was like studying for a class, we quizzed each other and used flash cards to practice,” Gutkowski said.

Pardue said the games are beneficial to her professionally.

“I’m taking the Professional Human Resource Exam and the HR games are a good opportunity to prepare. The things they quiz us on in the games are on the exam,” she said.

Gutowski echoed Pardue’s thoughts concerning the competition’s benefits.

“When you put that much effort into something and you get results like we got, it is really satisfying. Your hard work has really paid off,” he said.

Pardue indicated that NCSU placed second nationally last year.

“We have a lot to live up to,” he said.