Gov. Ned Lamont, University of Connecticut Interim President Radenka Maric and School of Business Dean John A. Elliot honored five UConn graduate students who competed as a team in the 2021 Bloomberg Global Trading Challenge and won the top award on Jan. 21.
The team was one of almost 500 from around the world, according to a recent press release from the School of Business. The team’s trading portfolio surpassed the competition’s benchmark of $467,000 and beat the next best team by $100,000.
The team consisted of team leader Sayem Lincoln, Jayabhushan Nallakannu, Varun Katari, Justin Keish and Matt Ciaburro, all of whom are members of the Master of Science in Financial Risk Management program at the Stamford campus. The team was advised by associate professor in-residence and MSFRM program academic director Michel Rakotomavo.
Three of the students received their undergraduate degrees at UConn as well, according to the press release.
Lamont told the students he was impressed by their investing strategy and that they bring a youthful perspective to identifying investments.
“We really want young people like you to stay in Connecticut,” Lamont said at the ceremony.
Then, Maric praised the students for their achievement.
“At UConn, we don’t only produce the best basketball players, but also those who compete internationally in academics,” Maric said. “We have students who want to innovate, who want to do research, and who want to stay in Connecticut.”
Lincoln said that winning the challenge meant a lot to him and the team.
“A lot of hard work went into the whole challenge from the start to the finish, following the US market and also the international markets,” Lincoln said in an email. “We overcame a lot [of] adversities both from all around the world and what the market threw at us. And now to see everyone at the FRM program and the University celebrating this achievement means a lot.”
