Students shine in CMU’s first robotic process automation event

When Reshma Chowdhary Potluri arrived at Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration, it was her first time being so far from home. The student from Hyderabad, India, had come to the U.S. to pursue a graduate degree in business analytics, project management and SAP. Adjusting to life abroad came with its challenges — cold weather, transportation hurdles and cultural differences — but Potluri was determined to make the most of her time at CMU.

Potluri participated in CMU’s first-ever Robotic Process Automation Champions Challenge competition earlier this month, a new collaborative event involving students, faculty and industry expert mentors. The event is designed to provide students with real-world skills by solving complex business cases with UiPath automation software.

Over the past month and a half, Potluri and her team prepared for the challenge with guidance from Pandu Tammana, a CMU alumnus and RPA developer at Ashling Partners.

"Starting from zero familiarity with the UiPath platform to where we are now, we've learned a lot," Potluri explained and credited Tammana with helping them get up to speed and taking considerable time out of his schedule to work with the team.

According to CMU faculty member Vishal Shah, who helped coordinate the event alongside Santiago Aguirre and Stephen Tracy, the goal was to build RPA expertise on campus.

"This event is part of our effort to create a center of excellence around SAP/ERP, process mining and process automation," Shah said. "The competition prepares students for high paying, fulfilling careers and supports our mission to offer rigorous, relevant training that serves our students and community."

Teamwork in action
Students, faculty members and industry experts — including judges from Dow, UiPath, Greenlight Consulting and Ashling Partners — gathered for the competition in CMU’s Bovee University Center Rotunda the morning of Nov. 1.

The RPA competition highlights the power of collaboration, with 19 mentors working closely with students to develop their automation solutions.

"This event brings together students and industry professionals in a way that allows us to tackle real-world business challenges," Shah noted. "The opportunity for mentorship and learning is what makes this experience unique."

For Potluri and her team, which included fellow CMU graduate students Sravya Kaniti, Navya Rukmimi Koteru and Akhil Rangaraju, their assignment was to improve the vendor creation process for a fictional company, Pen Inc. They identified inefficiencies and mapped out automation opportunities using UiPath, breaking down their solution into clear, actionable steps.

"Our goal was to boost efficiency by 80% and achieve over 95% data accuracy," she explained during her presentation.

A growing network of opportunity
Potluri’s team emerged as the winners of the CBA’s inaugural RPA competition, with each member receiving a share of the $1,200 scholarship prize.

"It’s very important to be able to apply what I’ve learned," Potluri said, reflecting on the experience. "Companies are looking for these skills."

Second place went to Durga Prasad Pregnapur, Kaveri Vellore Nadnakumar, Manil Reddy Surakunta and Sri Harsha Nunna; and third place was awarded to Quynh Phan and Justin Schoff. All 34 participating students also received vouchers from UiPath to take the Automation Developer Associate certification exam — a significant boost to their resumes.

Beyond the technical skills she’s gained, Potluri values the relationships she’s built at CMU. She’s a member of the SAP student group, works as a graduate assistant for the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship and participated in the ERPsim competition.

Potluri's choice to attend CMU was driven by the university’s strong SAP program. Activities like ERPsim and the RPA competition, as well as the SAP University Alliance and SAP Student Users Group, where she acts as engagement chair, have given her hands-on experience that is hard to find elsewhere.

“Events like the RPA competition are rare back home, so I’m grateful for opportunities like these,” she said.

Potluri said her experience working as a student ambassador in the Institute for Entrepreneurship also has been rewarding.

"The IBIE has been a place where I’ve felt supported," she said. "It’s opened me up to new people and new experiences, allowing me to give back by helping other international students find their way."

With her graduation approaching in May 2025, Potluri is actively looking for career opportunities where she can apply what she’s learned. "I want to use my skills to make an impact," she said. As the RPA competition showed, the College of Business Administration is giving her — and many other students — the tools they need to succeed.

A look toward the future
Shah says plans are already in motion to expand next year’s event.

"We’re considering tackling more complex processes, integrating AI, and extending it to a multi-day format," he said.

The RPA competition is just one step in building a robust program that connects students with industry opportunities.

"Our work has led many of our students to secure satisfying careers across different majors," Shah said. "We’ll continue to evolve our offerings to serve our students and community well."

For more information about the competition or hands-on SAP experience, contact Vishal Shah at shah3v@cmich.edu.