2008 Woodie Awards
Contributing Voice
Marc Zelina
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Opinions
For the first time ever, the International Business Department of Rollins College sent a team of five students to the National Commodities Trading Competition, sponsored by the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). Andre Dohlen, Charles Haggas, Nils Helset, Nicole Keschinger and Marc Zelina represented Rollins, under the supervision and guidance of INB professor Dr. Sardy.
This competition, which took place in Houston, Texas brought together over 100 delegates from some of the most prestigious collegiate institutions around the nation. These delegates competed for over $5,000 in prize money, as well as two fully paid summer internship positions in New York City. Additionally, large multinational corporations such as Merill Lynch and British Petroleum were present for recruiting and judging purposes. In an impressive showing, two of Rollins College's members qualified to the final round of trading, where one delegate finished 11th and another in a respectable 17th place. Other members of the team fared well, one qualifying to the second to last round of trading.
The "open outcry" competition focused primarily on the floor trading of crude oil, and was a simulation of the real-life trading that occurs every day at the NYMEX in the financial capital of the world. The weekend-long event was comprised of both a training seminar, followed by the real competition. Students were trained by a team of NYMEX traders on the procedures and etiquette of trading, and briefed on the possibilities commodity trading has to offer university students and graduates.
Prior to traveling to the University of Houston for the symposium, a group of 8 Rollins College INB majors actively traded in an online challenge with a similar group of colleges. Here, the team qualified to the final round of trading, posting an impressive 3rd place finish in the nation with a 73% return on investment over the span of one month. Among the colleges and universities that Rollins defeated were Texas A&M, Rice University and Lehigh University.
This co-curricular activity was not a set requirement of any class, and the team's participation and dedication to performing well represents a keen desire of Rollins students to learn and strive for the best. Their individual and collective results are proof of both independent initiative and a successful INB program, with a supportive faculty always demanding the most of their students. This year's participation in the event should set a precedent for years to come, and events of the sort should become a more common occurrence for students in all majors.
It should be noted that this trip could not have been possible without the help of certain important donors. The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), under the supervision of the Provost's Office, as well as the Student Government Association, funded this trip in its entirety, allowing the best minds to represent Rollins College at the national level.
Congratulations to all participating students, and a special thank you to our faculty advisor, Dr. Sardy.
Marc Zelina
This competition, which took place in Houston, Texas brought together over 100 delegates from some of the most prestigious collegiate institutions around the nation. These delegates competed for over $5,000 in prize money, as well as two fully paid summer internship positions in New York City. Additionally, large multinational corporations such as Merill Lynch and British Petroleum were present for recruiting and judging purposes. In an impressive showing, two of Rollins College's members qualified to the final round of trading, where one delegate finished 11th and another in a respectable 17th place. Other members of the team fared well, one qualifying to the second to last round of trading.
The "open outcry" competition focused primarily on the floor trading of crude oil, and was a simulation of the real-life trading that occurs every day at the NYMEX in the financial capital of the world. The weekend-long event was comprised of both a training seminar, followed by the real competition. Students were trained by a team of NYMEX traders on the procedures and etiquette of trading, and briefed on the possibilities commodity trading has to offer university students and graduates.
Prior to traveling to the University of Houston for the symposium, a group of 8 Rollins College INB majors actively traded in an online challenge with a similar group of colleges. Here, the team qualified to the final round of trading, posting an impressive 3rd place finish in the nation with a 73% return on investment over the span of one month. Among the colleges and universities that Rollins defeated were Texas A&M, Rice University and Lehigh University.
This co-curricular activity was not a set requirement of any class, and the team's participation and dedication to performing well represents a keen desire of Rollins students to learn and strive for the best. Their individual and collective results are proof of both independent initiative and a successful INB program, with a supportive faculty always demanding the most of their students. This year's participation in the event should set a precedent for years to come, and events of the sort should become a more common occurrence for students in all majors.
It should be noted that this trip could not have been possible without the help of certain important donors. The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), under the supervision of the Provost's Office, as well as the Student Government Association, funded this trip in its entirety, allowing the best minds to represent Rollins College at the national level.
Congratulations to all participating students, and a special thank you to our faculty advisor, Dr. Sardy.
Marc Zelina
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