Intercollegiate Case Competitions

The Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Cup is designed to give students from leading graduate programs across the country real world experience and invaluable insights into mergers and acquisitions, investment banking, financial advisory and private equity.  Each case study provides students with a unique opportunity to present valuation, capital markets and M&A strategic advice to a panel of seasoned M&A professionals from within the ACG community.  The competition is carried out through a series of intra-school and regional competitions, with regional winners awarded the prestigious ACG Cup title and cash awards.

How it works

The competition begins with on-campus informational sessions and culminates with ACG Cup competitions nation-wide:

• Informational Sessions - from October to mid December of each year, schools are invited to participate and optional informational sessions are held at local universities and colleges.
• On-Campus Competition - the specific date and time for on-campus competitions for each participating university (usually mid-January to early February) is communicated by the local ACG chapter.  The case study is released one-week prior to the on-campus event.  While the exact nature of the case will not be revealed until the case is released, the primary focus is a private equity scenario, drawing on skills related to investment banking and management strategy/consulting.  The winning team from each on-campus event goes on to compete in South Florida ACG Cup.  
• The South Florida ACG Cup - winning on-campus teams from each university compete head-to-head in the South Florida ACG competition which takes place in mid-February to early March at a location selected by the local ACG Chapter.  As in the on-campus competition, the Cup case is released one-week prior to the competition.  Although the exact nature of the case will not be revealed in advance, The Cup generally builds on the information provided in the on-campus competitions.  A panel of judges representing private equity and investment banking professionals from the region will determine the winning team.

Who can compete

Teams of no more than four students are eligible to compete:

• Open to all business majors with a primary focus on graduate students specializing in finance

Key Takeaways

Participating in the ACG Cup provides students with the unparalleled opportunity to:

• interact and network with leading finance professionals and organizations
• gain insight into the inner workings of corporate finance through a variety of transaction perspectives
• meet and develop relationships with potential employers, team members and mentors
• experience the opportunity to apply critical academic skills to a highly realistic M&A case study
• enhance and polish presentation, team-building and networking capabilities
• win meaningful cash rewards

Contact Information

For more information, please visit the ACG website at: www.acg.org

To learn more about the ACG Cup, please contact:

Kevin Gordon
Phone: 561-362-4199 ext 301
Email: kgordon@catalystfinancial.com

Since 1986-87, the Collegiate Chapters Council of the American Marketing Association (AMA) has sponsored the annual International Collegiate Case Competition. The competition is open to undergraduate teams at schools with an affiliated AMA Collegiate Chapter.  The AMA Case Competition is a semester long event that brings together top marketing students to work on a marketing challenge submitted by a sponsoring organization. The Case sponsor provides a detailed marketing problem for which it is looking to gain the perspective of AMA’s best students, who will compete by developing a marketing strategy in a nationally recognized competition.

How it works

At the beginning of the fall term, usually in August, a new case is submitted for the annual competition. All affiliated AMA undergraduate Collegiate Chapters are eligible to compete.  Interested Chapters must submit an Intent Form to gain access to the full Case question. Chapters must then submit an official entry form and a written case response by the December deadline.  In January, a panel of judges then reviews the entries and eight finalists are selected, along with honorable mention and semi-finalist awards to local chapters.  Judging of the finalists takes place via an oral competition at the Annual International Collegiate Conference in March of each year. The winning Chapters receive cash awards. The sponsoring company retains all of the submitted entries and proprietary marketing information submitted by competing Chapters. 

Who can compete?

Each participating team should consist of at least 10 students using the following criteria:

• members in good standing in the undergraduate AMA @ FIU Collegiate chapter
• currently enrolled undergraduate students
• ALL majors are eligible
• interest or expertise in any or all core disciplines of business (e.g., research, finance, accounting, information technology, management, and marketing/advertising)
• graduate Students and Graduate Chapters may respond solely for the purpose of feedback
• non-AMA members may not contribute to the case efforts

Key takeaways

• Work together on a problem that typifies a real, working marketing situation
• Interact one-on-one with executives of the sponsoring organization
• test your skills as a real-world marketing consultant
• win cash awards and plaques for your AMA Chapter

For more information, please visit any AMA meeting. Meeting schedules can be found on our website at www.AMAFIU.com.

To join the American Marketing Association (AMA), contact: FIUAMA@gmail.com or visit www.AMAFIU.com.

Contact information

To learn more about the AMA International Collegiate Case Competition students should visit any of the AMA meetings or contact:

Prof. Tim Birrittella
Phone: 305-348-2751
Email: Tim.Birrittella@fiu.edu

The CFA Institute Research Challenge, an annual educational initiative, based on the Investment Research Challenge originally developed by the New York Society of Security Analysts, is designed to promote best practices in research among the next generation of analysts through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis. The Challenge complements university curriculum by simulating a ‘real world’ experience of equity analysis. 

How it works

The competition begins in local university settings.  Student teams from the top area business schools write an equity research report on an assigned company and present their findings to a panel of investment industry experts.  The winning team from the Florida Challenge advances to the North American Regional Investment Research Challenge held each spring and hosted by the CFA Institute.

The Challenge consists of the following components:

• analysis of a public company
• mentoring by a professional research analyst and college professor
• submission of a written Equity Research Report
• presentation of the equity report to a high-profile panel of experts
• each University selects one team to compete in early September

Who can compete?

Teams consisting of 3-5 students using the following criteria:

• both graduate and undergraduate students are eligible
• students must be enrolled in the current term of the university they represent in the local Florida Challenge
• students with prior work experience in fundamental company analysis are not eligible

Key takeaways

There are both personal and institutional rewards:

Students:

• opportunity to interact with investment professionals from top firms
• gain real-world experience in equity analysis, sell-side research report writing, and presentation skills
• hands-on mentoring in equity management with experts from the financial industry
• Global Challenge winners gain a significant grant for their school or university
  
  

Investment Professionals:

• opportunity to foster and share best practices in the industry
• promote ethical decision making to the next generation of financial professionals
  
  

Public Companies:

• opportunity to give back to the community
• unique opportunity to tap into local talent in the financial industry
• gain unbiased research and opinions from student teams
  
  

Universities:

• gain international media attention, setting the university apart from other business schools
• opportunity for faculty to interact with industry professionals locally and world-wide

Contact information

For more information, please visit the CFA Institute Research Challenge website at https://www.cfainstitute.org/societies/challenge.

To learn more about the CFA Institute Research Challenge please contact:

Prof. Mark Del Pezzo
Phone: 305-348-8459 or 2680
Email: mdelpezz@fiu.edu

The Consortium of Undergraduate International Business Education (CUIBE) is a consortium of schools and universities with undergraduate International Business programs who wish to facilitate best practices in International Business education. The CUIBE-Northeastern University International Business Case Competition is hosted by Northeastern University’s International Business Program.  In the fall semester of each year, sixteen teams consisting of four undergraduate students each from the nation’s leading business schools, converge on Boston to participate in this exciting 2-day event.

How it works

A panel of distinguished judges and guest speakers from the Boston community add their unique insights of international business as gleaned from their respective career experiences.  With support from the Northeastern University College of Business Administration and Northeastern University's student consulting team, Huntington Management Consulting, this event affords participants the ability to showcase their talents while offering a great opportunity to network and share best practices from an international business perspective. 

Who can compete

Teams consisting of 4 students interviewed and selected by the faculty advisor and case liaison. The following selection criterion applies:

• must be a junior or a senior in an undergraduate program
• no alternates are permitted
• International Business major or interest in international business career options

Key takeaways

There are both personal and institutional rewards:

• opportunity to showcase your talents in a unique international business learning lab venue
• network and share best practices from an international business perspective
• gain real-world experience in an intensely competitive environment
• benchmark the university’s programs against other member schools
• facilitate sharing of best practices in International Business education

Contact information

For more information, please visit cuibe.net.

To learn more about the Consortium of Undergraduate International Business Education (CUIBE) please contact:

David Wernick
Phone: 305-348-7050
Email: david.wernick@fiu.edu

FanTAXtic is just that. It’s an issues-based tax case study competition that focuses on a hypothetical, real life scenario. This year’s competition requires student teams to engage in a simulation exercise, role-play with Deloitte professionals and to make a presentation in Deloitte office telesuites. It offers ... opportunities for networking with tax professionals and a chance to compete in a national event at Deloitte University. It’s not the usual student tax competition. It’s fun. It’s real world. It’s FanTAXtic.

How it works

Each year, Deloitte invites universities to participate in the Regional Competitions, which historically takes place in October. Following the regional events, the top teams (one first place team from each region) advances to the National Competition, which is held at Deloitte University—Deloitte’s new learning and leadership development center outside of Dallas, TX. The Deloitte FanTAXtic competition provides an opportunity for students from some of the nation’s top accounting and tax programs to gain real-world experience through participation in a unique interscholastic competition.

Who can compete

Each institution can enter up to two teams consisting of five full-time students per team using the following criteria for each team:

• full-time students only
• two junior(s)/senior(s)
• at least two sophomores
• no more than one graduate student per team

Key takeaways

• Gain real-world experience through participation in a unique interscholastic competition.
• Network with and learn from tax professionals.
• The first place regional teams will advance to the national competition at Deloitte University —Deloitte’s new learning and leadership development center in Westlake, TX.
• Students and institutions receive monetary awards when competing at the national level.

Contact information

To learn more about Deloitte’s FanTAXtic case competition please contact

Gina Bretos
Phone: 305.348.0356
Email: soacct@fiu.edu

The FIU College of Business’ Global Bilingual Sales Competition (GBSC) is the only sales competition of its kind in the world, bringing student competitors from across the globe to compete in both English and Spanish. The need for bilingual sales representatives, key account managers, and sales managers by local, national, and worldwide organizations is rapidly increasing. The vision of the FIU-GBSC is that it continues to serve as a venue for Spanish-English bilingual students and educators in developing a global salesforce. Learn more.

Since 2003 the Chapman Graduate School of Business at Florida International University has participated in the real-time, fast paced Intercollegiate Graduate Case Competition.  Hosted by the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, this marathon competition tests collegiate teams’ abilities to quickly read and understand a case, research the company in question, and, prepare and present a strategic plan for the company, all in less than 24 hours! 

Participating teams from Florida International University, University of South Florida, Florida State University, the University of Florida, the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University are asked to make recommendations regarding the future direction of a nationally or internationally known corporation whose identity is not revealed until the kickoff time.

How it works

In early November, the Chapman Graduate School of Business at FIU holds an in-house competition for the purposes of selecting “team FIU”.  The winning FIU team travels to Tampa, Florida to compete in the Intercollegiate Graduate Case Competition in February.   During the Competition students work on a “live case”: a situation facing a company dealing with real-time strategic and/or operating challenges and opportunities.

Identity of the case company is not revealed until the competition begins.  At the conclusion of the presentations, the judges, including top executive from the case company, will select the top team that has best identified the relevant business issues and effectively presented their case and its solutions. 

Who can compete

Teams of three and five members will be selected to represent FIU.  Final team selection will be at the sole discretion of the FIU coaching team comprised of FIU business faculty and/or local business professionals.

• All currently enrolled graduate students are invited to apply.
• A minimum of three years professional work experience is preferred.
• Applicants will be expected to work well in teams and to make team decisions.
• Team selection will be based upon a mix of degree concentration or experience in the core functional areas of management and leadership: finance/accounting, marketing, management, HR, strategic planning. 
• Ideally, at least one member of the team should have taken, or be enrolled in, the graduate strategy and/or marketing simulation course. 

Key takeaways

The Intercollegiate Graduate Case Competition offers a unique and personally challenging opportunity to work on a real business challenge in a stressful setting:

• an excellent networking opportunity with students from universities across the state and with corporate executives from the host company, as well as, other professionals who serve as judges
• a “separate you from the crowd” resume entry
• a financial award for each member of the winning teams competing at the state level
• the winning team members’ names are engraved on a traveling plaque housed for one-full year at the “winning” team’s home university
• a team plaque that will remain forever on display in the College of Business Administration at FIU

Contact information

To learn more about the Intercollegiate Graduate Case Competition please contact:

TBA

Each year Johnson & Johnson (J&J) sponsors the annual University Case Competition on ten campuses across the country.   The competition is open to undergraduate teams that fulfill the requirements specified by J&J case organizers.  The winning team from each university travels to J&J headquarters for an all day networking event and a chance to compete head to head with teams from the 10 participating universities. The competition is a semester long event that brings together top business students to make decisions that build and support a holistic business strategy.   The case materials are created and distributed by employees of the sponsoring organization.

How it works

Each spring term, usually in January, a new J&J case is rolled out on campus to participating teams across the country.  On-campus competitions must be scheduled no more than 4 weeks after the kick-off event. 

Each team has approximately four weeks to complete the case and prepare a presentation.  In February teams compete on-campus before judges and representatives from J&J. Teams are judged based on specific criteria outlined in the case as well as the team’s ability to answer questions and support their overall business strategy.  The winning team receives a monetary prize and goes on to compete in the finals held at Johnson & Johnson headquarters in New Brunswick NJ. 

Who can compete

Teams of 5-7 students using the following criteria: 

• business majors with an emphasis on finance, accounting, economics, marketing, and/or supply chain
• strong academic performance and leadership skills
• no more than 1 senior
• at least 3 finance/accounting majors
• no more than 2 members shall have competed in the J&J University Case Competition in the prior academic year

Key takeaways

• Work together on a problem that typifies a real, working marketing situation.
• Network with J&J professional staff and other University teams.
• Add professional accomplishments to your resume.
• Interact with executives of the sponsoring organization.
• Test your skills as a real-world marketing consultant.
• Win cash awards and a trip to Johnson & Johnson Headquarters to compete.

Contact information

To learn more about the Johnson & Johnson University Case Competition please contact:

Sammi Rosin Lewis
Phone: 305-348-1232
Email: srosin@fiu.edu

The KPMG Association of Latino Professionals in Finance & Accounting (ALPFA) Case Study Competition is an extremely popular event that presents accounting students with the challenge of resolving real-world accounting issues in a collegial and competitive environment.  It provides students with the opportunity to work with KPMG advisors, better understand the demands and rewards of the accounting profession and network with finance and accounting professionals from across the United States.  KPMG/ALPFA teams are assembled during the Fall semester for a chance to compete in the KPMG/ALPHA case competition during the following Summer.

How it works

The case studies used in the competition are based on realistic accounting, finance and business issues.  Each competing team works together to identify issues and develop a research plan, develop a solution, and prepare a presentation regarding their case.  The faculty advisor’s role is to provide guidance to the team, without supplying the correct answer.

At the Competition, each competing team will give a 20-minute presentation of their case and solutions to a panel of judges who act as senior management of the Audit Committee of a client.  The panel of judges is comprised of KPMG partners, senior managers and ALPFA members who are accounting or finance professionals.  The panel will raise questions and issues during a 10 to15 minutes Q&A session following the presentation. 

At the conclusion of the presentations, the judges will select the top team that has best identified the relevant accounting and business issues and effectively presented their case and its solutions. 

Who can compete?

Teams of four to five students and a faculty advisor.  (Note: A professional advisor will be provided by KPMG once the teams are in place). Teams should be comprised of:

• approximately 80% Latino students
• approximately 80% Accounting majors with curriculum to support sitting for the CPA exam upon graduation 
• one team member who is a non-accounting business major is permitted
• primarily, undergraduate students graduating in Spring/Summer of the competition year or later
• no more than one senior graduating in Spring or Summer of the competing academic year
• at least one sophomore
• actively enrolled students with a sustained minimum GPA of 3.2

Key takeaways

• A unique opportunity to work one-on-one with KPMG advisors.
• Real-time understanding of the demands and rewards of the accounting profession.
• An opportunity to network with finance and accounting professionals from across the United States.
• The top two teams from each first round competition will compete at the KPMG/ALPFA National Case Study Competition finals.
• All expense paid trip to the ALPFA National Convention where both regional and national competition takes place.

Contact information

To learn more about the KPMG/ALPFA case competition please contact:

Gina Bretos
Phone: 305-348-0356
Email: soacct@fiu.edu

Have you got the right stuff?  Business is the place where theory IS executed in real time, where decisions are made with consequences. Communication is key and collaborative team-oriented thinking is a must. These are the conditions PricewaterhouseCoopers seeks to create with the xTAX campus competition. No number crunching exercise, xTAX is focused on high-level issues designed to test and improve your decision making skills. Detailed accounting knowledge is not required to participate.

How it works

Each Fall, PwC comes on campus for a xTAX launch. During the launch, a xTAX project leader, PwC staff members and former competitors are available to provide additional information and answer all questions about the competition. The launch is followed by an on-campus mission meeting where all on-campus teams meet with a PwC representative who explains the case challenge and releases the case. Each team will have two weeks to formulate a solution to present to a panel of PwC professionals.

Who can compete?

Teams must consist of five members using the following criteria:

• two sophomores, each must be enrolled in the first accounting course or be an accounting major/minor
• one junior must be an accounting major
• one "other" team member may be at any level - freshman to fifth year student (This team member does not have to be an accounting major - a general business or business-related major is acceptable.)
•  one team member can be at any level but must be enrolled in either the first accounting course or be an accounting major/minor at the undergraduate or graduate level

Key takeaways

There are personal and financial rewards.

• Intellectually satisfying to team with friends to discuss and solve real world issues.
• Critical thinking and communication skills foster long-term professional rewards. 
• The winning team on each campus receives $1,000 and consideration for the national finals.
• The five teams chosen for the national finals each receive $10,000 and a chance to compete for the Hamilton Award.
• The National Finalists travel to Washington, DC to meet with professionals from PwC's Washington National Tax Services group and other PwC staff.
• Faculty mentors who coach campus winners receive $500 and those who coach national finalist teams will receive $5,000 and an invitation to join their team in Washington, DC.

Contact information

For more information, please visit: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/careers/university-relations/challenge-case-study.html 

To learn more about the PWCxTax case competition please contact:

Gina Bretos
Phone: 305-348-0356
Email: soacct@fiu.edu

The Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education (G.A.M.E.) Forum is a two and a half day conference sponsored by Quinnipiac University. It is intended to bring an international group of current and future leaders from the financial industry together to explore important developments, challenges and opportunities facing investment professionals within our global financial markets. 

Industry support for this innovative investment conference is very strong. The Hartford, LPL Financial and NASDAQ OMX Group, as Quinnipiac G.A.M.E. Forum Strategic Partners, are joined by 63 additional firms in providing more than 88 keynote speakers, panelists, workshop presenters and student managed portfolio competition judges. The global dimension of the Quinnipiac G.A.M.E. Forum is also reflected in the more than 24 countries represented by our international group of participating students and their faculty mentors.

A student-managed portfolio competition is available for student teams that have managed an actual portfolio during a full calendar year. Winning teams are recognized at the Awards & Networking Dinner on the last night. Teams also showcase their work in a table-top display at the Networking Reception on the last night.

How it works

The objective of the fund is to provide FIU students with a tool to enhance their learning of equity investment management strategies and techniques, subject to fiduciary responsibilities of third party financial managers. The portfolio currently consists of publically traded common stock investments, money market funds, along with protective put options, and option collars as risk management tools.

Funds are usually allocated into 5 different sectors: technology, healthcare, energy, consumer staples and financials. Each sector is led by a sector manager, who are usually students who have taken the class before and/or have demonstrated to have the needed experience to serve this position. 

To participate in the student-managed portfolio competition at the G.A.M.E. Forum the following criteria apply:

• Sector managers are selected to represent FIU at the G.A.M.E. Forum and may be eligible to participate in the Portfolio Competition.
• For the Portfolio Competition, a formal application is submitted to Forum Committee containing information about the SMIF. The application contains an overview of the fund, a detailed explanation of the fund’s investment strategy, and the holdings and performance of the securities in the portfolio.
• Selected teams are required to prepare a 15 minute presentation of their portfolio as if they were presenting it to prospective clients. For the presentation, team representatives describe the history of the portfolio, investment philosophy, investment process, composition of the portfolio, and performance of the portfolio. Following the presentation the discussion is open for 10 minutes of Q&A.

Who can compete?

• In order to attend and be eligible to participate in the competition, students are required to be involved with the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) at FIU. SMIF classes are held in the fall and spring terms of each academic year.
• To become eligible to participate in the Quinnipiac G.A.M.E Forum students are required to be enrolled in the SMIF Class by the last date of the registration appointments for the Fall or Spring Terms.

Key takeaways

On the last evening of the event the teams that participated in the competition are allowed to display their portfolio in a networking reception that takes place before the closing dinner in which the winners are announced.

Contact information

To learn more about the G.A.M.E Forum or the SMIF@FIU please contact:

Flavio Carrillo
fcarri@fiu.edu

The 2012 RITC is an invitational competition involving simulated market trading cases that mimic different aspects of real world markets. This simulated trading is structured around the Rotman Interactive Trader (RIT) platform. The 7 cases involved in this year’s competition are Social Outcry, Sales & Trader, Quantitative Outcry, BP Canada Commodities, Quantitative & Event Driven (QED) Trading, Options Trading, and CIBC Algorithmic Trading. This three-day competition in Toronto, Canada will attract over 300 participants representing approximately 50 top universities from all over the world.

How the competition works

Each participating school will consist of a six-member team, who will compete against other teams in the seven cases. These cases will be divided into “heats” and multiple “sub-heats”. Team performance will be measured by a specific scoring and ranking methodology (which will be released prior to the start of the competition).

Who can compete

This competition is open to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students who meet the appropriate capability requirements.

Key takeaways

This is FIU’s first invitation to participate in RITC (the only 2012 participating school from Florida). FIU’s team will be competing against schools such as Columbia University, MIT, and the University of Chicago.

Contact information

Flavio Carrillo
fcarri@fiu.edu