4th Annual
Investment Research Challenge

The New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA) introduced the Investment Research Challenge in the 2002-2003 academic year as a means to promote best practices in research among the next generation of analysts. The Challenge is an eight-month educational initiative in which leading industry professionals teach business and finance students how to research and report on a publicly traded company.

photo courtesy of NYSE NYSSA Opens NYSE  - Students and representatives of Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business and NYSSA members rang The Opening Bell™ of the New York Stock Exchange on May 2, 2006.

The Seton Hall University (SHU) students had bested teams from eight other top area business schools to win NYSSA’s Fourth Annual Investment Research Challenge, which was held on April 20, 2006, at Bloomberg, LP. Teammates Yihong (Yvonne) Huang, David Meisner, Bradford Muller, Mark Stodden, and Matthew Walters joined Karen Boroff, PhD, dean of the Stillman School of Business; Challenge co-chairs Stella Alvo and Eric Stieglitz; Marty Fridson, CFA, chair of the Challenge panel; Seton Hall University’s mentor Tim McGlinn, CFA; members of SHU’s faculty and administration; and SHU alumni on the podium for the bell ringing ceremony.

Participating universities are Baruch College, The City University of New York; Columbia Business School; Fordham University; NYU Stern School of Business; Lubin School of Business at Pace University; Rutgers Business School – Newark and New Brunswick; Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Busines; The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University; and Yale University.

The Challenge spans one academic year, and consists of the following components:

I.  Training in Research and Report Writing: University student teams receive training by attending NYSSA-sponsored seminars in Internet Research, Report Writing, and Ethics. Seminars are taught by NYSSA’s professional membership and are held on campus at participating universities.

II.  Analysis of a Public Company: Teams research the same public company, selected by NYSSA, including a question and answer session with company management during the winter. 

III.  Mentoring By a Professional Research Analyst:  Each team is mentored by a professional research analyst, who reviews and critiques the team’s report.

IV.  Assessment of Written Reports: A group of volunteer graders selected from NYSSA’s membership will assess the written research reports and choose four finalist teams to present to the panel of experts.

V.  Presentation of Research to a High-Profile Panel of Wall Street Experts: On April 20, 2006, teams will present their research to a panel of respected Wall Street experts. The winning team will be selected based on the combined scores for the written report and the presentation. This year’s panelists include:

• John J. Apruzzese, CFA, Managing Director, U.S. Trust Corporation
• Stephen J. Buell, PhD, Director of Global Equity Research, Prudential Equity Group
• Stephen E. Canter, Chairman and CEO, The Dreyfus Corporation; Vice Chairman, Mellon Financial Corporation
• Tim Craighead, Vice President, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
• Martin S. Fridson, CFA, President, FridsonVision; Publisher, Leverage World
• Jack L. Rivkin, Executive Vice President, Neuberger Berman, LLC  

Click here for the NYSSA News article.

Gold Sponsors:

 

 

 

Silver Sponsors:

 

 

Click here for information on the 3rd Annual Investment Research Challenge.
Click here for information on the 2nd Annual Investment Research Challenge.

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