Two teams from the Kean University College of Business and Public Management ranked among the Top 3% of competitors in the 2023 Bloomberg Global Trading Challenge.
“Kean Cougars,” one of 13 student teams fielded by the CBPM in the worldwide online trading competition, ranked No. 30 among 2,007 teams. It also came in highest among entrants from New Jersey universities. Another Kean team, “Supernova,” ranked No. 60 in the world.
A third team from Kean, “The Big Short,” finished at No. 210.
CBPM Dean Jin Wang was thrilled by the results.
“This recognition in the Bloomberg Global Trading Challenge speaks volumes about the quality of education students can expect from Kean University, and the potential that our outstanding and dedicated faculty helps our students realize,” he said.
The 13 Kean teams faced off against students from more than 300 universities, including Rutgers University, Montclair State University, Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Columbia University, New York University, Cornell University and the University of Chicago.
Competitors did simulated real-world trading, starting with a virtual $1 million, which they invested in a range of securities over five weeks, ending Nov. 17.
The Kean teams competed on Bloomberg terminals in the Bloomberg Finance Lab in CBPM’s Hynes Hall. Additional teams competed from Wenzhou-Kean University in Wenzhou, China.
Kean assistant professor Andreas Kakolyris coached both Kean Cougars and Supernova.
“Our college effectively equips students for careers in finance, and this ranking indicates that our students gain valuable hands-on experience on campus,” Kakolyris said.
Four students on the two top Kean teams are women, and five of the seven students on the two teams are studying at Kean from WKU.
While the field of finance is traditionally dominated by men, Kakolyris noted that CBPM’s building, Hynes Hall, boasts a replica of the “Fearless Girl” sculpture on Wall Street, which symbolizes the power of women in leadership.
“As New Jersey’s only public urban research university, known for its performance in social mobility and commitment to closing the equity gap in higher education, we are very proud of young women students doing well in finance,” Wang said.
The Kean Cougars and Supernova team members, all majoring in accounting or finance, said they enjoyed the chance to try investing in real-world circumstances with virtual money.
“It allowed me to practice my investment skills safely and was a fun challenge,” said Ronald Stefanowicz, a junior accounting major from Colonia.
It’s been a big year of recognition for Kean.
Earlier this year, the business school received accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB, the “gold standard” of accreditation for business universities.
