The second annual Investment Banking Case Competition finals held Tuesday gave Miami University students the chance to gain real-world experience and career tips from alumni.
The competition focused on whether the Chicago Mercantile Exchange should raise its bid to acquire the Chicago Board of Trade and was sponsored by William Blair & Company.
The winning team consisted of three Farmer School of Business juniors, Vince Ciepiel, John Budig and Wes Tang-Wymer.
According to Ciepiel, there were 12 teams of three or four students. For the first round, the teams submitted a pitch book, or an analysis of their solution to the investment problem. Both faculty and business professionals judged these pitch books and the top four teams presented to the William Blair employees. The winning team won $500.
"William Blair did a phenomenal presentation," Budig said. "We gained valuable real-world experience and networked with William Blair."
Ciepiel said the competition brought classroom skills to life.
"Putting these theories into practice makes them relevant," Ciepiel said.
Britt Trukenbrod, a 1990 Miami graduate and judge, said the quality of all the presentations impressed the panel.
"All of the groups articulated well and were thoughtful and well-prepared," Trukenbrod said. "It was very difficult to choose the winning team. The winning team's analysis was rich, and they had a great presentation. They did the best job setting up a case in a higher-level way."
According to Steve Wyatt, chair of the finance department, any student can be involved in this competition.
"It's open to any students interested in investment banking," Wyatt said. "There are two parts: a written proposal that is judged by faculty and a case presentation judged in the second round. The students give the presentation to the investment bankers that are Miami graduates. They choose the winning case."
Aside from helping to judge the competition, the three Miami alumni discussed their experiences as investment bankers and advised students on how to score an internship.
Trukenbrod stressed the importance of self-reliance in the investment-banking world.
"Not many investment banking firms come to Miami so you have to go and find your own internships and do it all yourself," Trukenbrod said.
Using Miami's resources is another way to open internship doors, Carlson said.
"Networking with alumni is a good way to find internships," Carlson said. "Try to meet with human resources directors face-to-face."
When interviewing for an internship, talk about your college involvement and know exactly why you want to work for a certain company, said Brent Gledhill, a 1991 graduate.
"Talk about any jobs or clubs you were in during college because it shows you can handle a busy schedule successfully," Gledhill said. "Any foreign language skills show (employers) that you're a global thinker. If you're deciding between two companies to work for, choose the company based on how well you connected with the people working there."
