Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Student Organizations

APMP Scores Big… Twice!

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The Applied Portfolio Management Program is one of the most unique student organizations on campus.  Every year, two teams each comprised of six students are selected to create stock market portfolios using $1.3 million of real money.  These students have the opportunity to use one of two Bloomberg Terminals in the Upper Peninsula, right in their very own LSGI Trading Lab.

Senior APMP team member, Mason McGrew, utilizes the Bloomberg Terminal in the School of Business and Economics

APMP has always been considered successful, but 2013 was a banner year for the team.  Director Dean Johnson described a return of 29.66%, with a standard deviation (aka risk) of around 1.7%.  Senior Brett Ludwig reminisced about the teams’ investments in 2013, stating, “It was really cool to watch the stocks go up, and tough at times not to sell others.”  With a portfolio that grew in one year from $397,000 to $515,000, the Gold Team recently participated in two global investment competitions.  It may come as no surprise that they walked away with not one, but two victories.

After APMP member Heath Johnson appeared on the Market Site display in Times Square and closed the NASDAQ on Wednesday, March 19, it was announced that the team had won the 2014 Quinnipiac G.A.M.E. IV Forum investment competition in the value category.  This achievement was particularly impressive considering that there were over 1,000 participants from 118 colleges and universities!

Most recently at the 14th Annual Redefining Investment Strategy Education (RISE) competition on March 28 at the University of Dayton in Ohio, team members Ludwig, Nathan Sturos, and Judy Isaacson were on hand to snag the first place title of Gold Portfolio in the Value Investment Style category.

Competing at RISE in Dayton was the icing on the cake after APMP’s successful year.  Their dedication won them the ultimate Gold Portfolio, and Sturos remarked, “It was a humbling experience to be recognized at such a distinguished conference.”  Isaacson was proud of her team and grateful for the “great opportunity to see many different perspectives on the world of finance… and it was a fun experience!”

Are you a current student interested in joining a future APMP team?  The APMP application is available online!  Interested in becoming a student in the School of Business and Economics?  Apply for free today!

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SBE’s Reginald Hicks Elected VP of USG

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Reginald Hicks is a current Marketing student with a minor in Global Business.  He’s on the Dean’s Student Advisory Council, Heritage Month Committee, National Society of Black Engineers, serves as Treasurer of the American Marketing Association and Treasurer of the Society of African American Men.  But Reggie holds a new office; he was recently elected Vice President of Michigan Tech’s Undergraduate Student Government!

According to their website, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) “serves over 220 student organizations in conjunction with student activities. USG allocates over $800,000 annually to support organizations and enable new opportunities.”  They play a key role in on-campus traditions such as Winter Carnival, and they work to ensure that the undergraduate student body is represented.

Reggie was elated to be elected VP.  He stated, “I cannot even express in words how I feel being elected Vice President of USG!  With great humility, I am honored to lead such a vital organization on Michigan Tech’s campus, in a very profound way.  There are a couple of initiatives I would like to work on during my candidacy.”

His initiatives include:

  • fostering a campus community conducive to showing the undergraduate population how much USG cares,
  • educating students as to how USG can be their voice on campus,
  • and creating a more inclusive, yet still diverse, campus.

Reggie will be a wonderful Vice President for USG, and we wish him all the best for his term!

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Upcoming How-to Event: Business Attire

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Image from Tarleton State University

MTU’s Kappa Sigma Iota (KSI) Accounting Club is hosting a professional development event on Wednesday, March 26th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm.  The event will be held in Ballroom B3 of the Memorial Union Building (MUB).

Information will be presented on proper business dress for formal and casual situations, with hands-on training for ironing dress clothes and tying ties.  Irons will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own ties, slacks, and/or shirts.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact James Mills at jpmills@mtu.edu.

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MTU Team Makes Final Cut of MCIP

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The Michigan Collegiate Innovation Prize is a six month program that enables teams to go from an idea to venture launch.

A new statewide entrepreneurial contest aims to arm students with the resources and skills necessary to launch a successful tech start-up in the state of Michigan. In addition to more than $100,000 in award money, the Michigan Collegiate Innovation Prize (MCIP) offered participants intensive start-up training based on the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps program.

Michigan Tech fielded a team out of a project for the Business Development Experience course — one of four required for the Entrepreneurship Concentration.

"Our low cost ventilator which encompasses a robust and simple design, is used to provide life saving care for infants suffering from respiratory ailments in developing countries," said Smith.

The Michigan Tech students who participated were:

  • Cole Smith, Management major
  • Brock Treankler, Management major
  • Colin Putters, Marketing major
  • Carolynn Magnuson, Marketing major
  • Derek Mazur, Biomedical Engineering major

The challenge kicked off in late October with a two-day workshop and culminated in February with a final showcase and awards ceremony. During the intervening four months, participants attended biweekly online progress meetings and received pitch training, mentorship and up to $2,000 in prototype funding. Teams were encouraged to brainstorm and innovate on their business model and position in the market.

90 teams participated in the first round and 29 made it on to the finals. Applicants were evaluated based on:

  • The viability and impact of their technology
  • How their business differentiates itself in the marketplace
  • The skill and experience level of the team members.

The Michigan Tech Team mentored by Professor Entrepreneurship and Innovation Dr. Saurav Pathak, Instructor Jonathan Leinonen, and Senior Lecturer in Accounting Anne Warrington was one of the teams selected to advance to the finals. Their project was to develop a low cost ventilator for infants in Ghana. This is an International Business Venture project out of the Enterprise program. The Michigan Tech team went on to win a $2,000 grant to further develop their product.

Event coordinators say the statewide venture challenge will help both the state and its students by keeping Michigan relevant in the knowledge economy and creating different career paths for college graduates.

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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program is back for 2014!

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KSI will be doing their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program again this year. VITA is designed for students that have been through Foundations of Taxation to assist with simple income tax returns for low-income families and students who couldn’t otherwise afford to hire a CPA. KSI will be starting the program  today & will go through Tuesday, April 15th.
VITA is available February 24th - April 15th. No appointment needed!
All sessions will take place in G010D of the AOB, and there is no need to make an appointment. Just stop on in & see them! No sessions will be held over spring break, but otherwise the schedule is as follows:
  • Monday: 3-5pm
  • Wednesday: 12-2pm
  • Thursday: 12-5pm
Please pass this along to anyone you may think may be in need of this service!
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