SUNY Oneonta Students Compete in National College Fed Challenge

Five SUNY Oneonta students created a virtual presentation this fall for the National College Fed Challenge, a team competition for undergraduate college students inspired by the work of the Federal Open Market Committee. The competition encourages students to learn more about the U.S. macro economy, the Federal Reserve System and the implementation of monetary policy. The Fed Challenge was formerly an in-person event for participating students but has moved to a virtual format to allow schools outside the current Fed Challenge districts to compete in a newly created "at-large" region.

About 40 teams across the district submitted recorded presentations in October, for review by the Federal Reserve. To prepare for the presentation, SUNY Oneonta students worked closely with their faculty advisor, Christine Storrie, associate professor of economics, and Logan Conte, the course's TA, both during and outside of class time. They learned how to research economic indicators, create complex graphs using Excel and link economic theory to current economic conditions.

Students who participated in the Fed Challenge enrolled in Econ 3216, the College Fed Challenge Preparation course offered each year in the fall semester. This three-credit course is offered on a condensed schedule, concluding in early November. This year's course finished on Monday, Nov. 7, just a few days after hearing that the SUNY Oneonta team had not advanced to the semifinal round.

While only a maximum of five representatives formally present to the judges during the recorded presentation, all team members work on it equally. To select the five representatives, all team members present the policy recommendation they have come up with before a panel of economics, business and accounting faculty and field.

The criteria for choosing the representatives include presentation skills, the ability to answer questions clearly and knowledge of macroeconomics and monetary policy. The faculty panel scores each team member, and the top five become the team's representatives. This semester, the presenters were Noah Davis, Dasia Harrigan, Joseph Grogan, Ryan Vogel and Justin Almanzar, and Timothy Cronin served as the alternate and was also the emcee at the evening performance.

"Additionally, the team prepares a performance on campus in front of faculty and students. Each team member enrolled in the course contributes to this performance. This year, the live performance was on Oct. 11," said Storrie. "The presentation was entirely student-run and included a live version of their competition presentation, an overview of the College Fed Challenge competition and recruitment information for future semesters and a question-and-answer session with the audience. There were more than 85 people in attendance."

Current students and alumni alike say the experience of preparing for the Fed Challenge competition is a valuable opportunity to build skills that will serve them well in their careers after graduation.

"Alumni who took the course and participated in the Economic Club's Life After Graduation Series all made a point to mention their experience in Fed Challenge," said Storrie. "They've concluded that their Fed Challenge Experience was the most useful and practical course they took while at SUNY Oneonta. It gives students a hands-on experiential learning opportunity, working with a team on a common goal in a fast-paced environment against a tight deadline."

To view these students click here: https://oneonta.meritpages.com/achievements/SUNY-Oneonta-Students-Compete-in-National-College-Fed-Challenge/156063