This year, the Center for the Study of Finance, sponsored by STIFEL Investments, introduces the first free campus-wide stock challenge for students across all majors to participate in. Beginning March 4 and running through April 12, students can play the stock market and potentially win monetary prizes.  

Participants will be given a hypothetical $10,000 and play through an online internet account. The main goal of the challenge is to accumulate as much money as possible to win prizes. First place will be rewarded with $1,000 and second will receive $500. Third will earn $300, $200 for fourth and fifth through tenth places will receive $100. Whoever places last will receive the Should-Have-Gone-Short Award of $50.  

Professor of Finance, William Trainor, described the challenge as an opportunity for students to get a taste of the stock market and managing investments. “We thought this would be a good way to introduce them to trading with no risk and of course the possibility of winning up to $1,000,” said Trainor.  

“A lot of students who aren’t finance or business students think of stocks as something mysterious,” said Kevin Kilgore, assistant director of Department of Economics and Finance, “Our hope is once they get involved in this game, they’ll realize it’s just some basic mechanics of investing.”

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Trainor shared that the challenge was beta tested last semester. The inspiration comes from a similar challenge by Tennessee Valley Authority where colleges compete. Trainor and Kilgore hope students not only have fun during the challenge but grow more comfortable with finance and potentially consider a degree in it.

Trainor advises picking one or two stocks to completely invest in. Ultimately, students will have to make tough decisions and hope luck is on their side. “You’re going to have to take some chances,” said Kilgore.  

Students can sign up for the challenge on the Center for the Study of Finance’s website at etsu.edu/cbat/banking/.