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By: Amy Charles | May 15, 2026
Recent University of Pikeville (UPIKE) graduate Faith Newsom earned finalist honors in the 2026 Capstone 2.0 Spring Challenge, an international business simulation competition hosted by Capsim.
Newsom advanced to the finals from a competitive field of business students from around the world, ultimately placing fifth overall. Participants managed virtual companies in head-to-head competition, making strategic business decisions through multiple fast-paced rounds designed to test leadership, forecasting and decision-making skills under pressure.
She said the experience strengthened her understanding of business operations and reinforced her career goals of becoming a certified public accountant and eventually owning her own firm. The challenge provided Newsome with valuable insight into how companies operate and helped her develop practical business strategies she can apply in the future.
“The simulation built my business understanding and my decision-making skills in a variety of ways,” Newsom said. “I had to learn what worked and what didn’t. I had to learn how to spot a forecast so I could properly sell and not leave too much inventory, which also taught me about how to keep sales and profit up.”
The Capstone 2.0 simulation was introduced to Newsom during a class taught by UPIKE Professor of Business Eric Vitatoe, Ph.D. Vitatoe said simulation-based learning offers students an opportunity to apply concepts learned throughout their coursework in a real-world setting.
“It allows the students to finally connect all of the dots from every other class they have previously taken,” said Vitatoe. “Simulations take students in a far different direction compared to the standard lecture-based classes. It allows them to explore what it is like to run a business without the penalty of real-life failure.”
The Capstone 2.0 Spring Challenge is part of an annual global competition that brings together students who have completed a Capsim simulation within the previous year. Competitors represent universities from countries around the world and participate in advanced business strategy simulations that emphasize critical thinking, collaboration and adaptability.