This spring, a team of students from Stetson’s Roland George Investments Program won the Florida CFA Research Challenge, marking the program’s sixth consecutive victory in the statewide competition.

The winning team included Adam Elkhamissy, Conal Walsh, Nicolò Radaelli, Maclaren Davis and Maxwell Bennett. The students represented Stetson’s School of Business Administration in a highly competitive field of 24 teams from across Florida.

The CFA Research Challenge is an annual global competition that gives university students hands-on experience in financial analysis, valuation, report writing and professional presentation. Teams are tasked with researching a publicly traded company, preparing a written investment report and presenting their recommendation to industry professionals.

“This accomplishment reflects the discipline, preparation and professionalism of our students,” said Matthew Imes, PhD, CFA, director of the Roland George Investments Program and associate professor of Finance. “Each member of the team invested well over 100 hours preparing for this competition, and their success continues a remarkable tradition of excellence for RGIP.”

The team was closely supported by Matthew Hurst, PhD, the faculty advisor for the CFA Research Challenge, who worked with the students throughout the competition process.

Stetson’s victory advanced the team to the subregional round of the CFA Research Challenge, where they competed against other top-performing university teams. Although the team did not advance beyond the regional competition, their performance reflected the strength of the Roland George Investments Program and provided valuable experience for the students involved.

The Roland George Investments Program is one of Stetson’s signature experiential learning programs. Students in RGIP manage a real investment portfolio valued at approximately $7.4 million, developing investment goals, conducting securities research and making portfolio decisions in a setting designed to mirror the work of an investment management firm.

“This sixth straight win is not only a point of pride for the School of Business Administration, but also a powerful example of what happens when students are challenged with real responsibility,” Imes said. “RGIP gives students the opportunity to apply classroom learning in a professional environment, and this team’s performance shows the strength of that model.”