People and Places

Finance Team Takes Third in National Competition

Continuing a trend of national recognition for its finance program, Southeastern had a team of five students recently place third in the conference of state bank supervisors competition of real-world […]

October 16, 2018

Continuing a trend of national recognition for its finance program, Southeastern had a team of five students recently place third in the conference of state bank supervisors competition of real-world banking studies.

Kathryn Bokun, Nicholas Brennan, Mason Case, Elizabeth Hunter, and Robert Maddox comprised Southeastern’s winning team. Together they advanced through three rigorous rounds of judging from a pool of 51 other university teams, a record number of entrants.

Southeastern’s team also finished in the top 10 the previous two years, including a first place finish in 2016. “We knew it would be difficult to return to the top 10, especially since many more schools participated this year,” said Danielle Lewis, Southeastern professor of finance and faculty adviser for the team. “I am extremely proud of their third place finish in the entire nation.”

This year’s case study looked at how community banks are using technology to streamline processes and better serve their customers. Lewis said the team members worked closely with representatives of Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Co.

Lewis described the exercise as an excellent learning experience for the students with real-world applications. The work was well beyond something most students would experience in a typical classroom setting, she added.

“The competition was very stiff this year but our team put in the study, time, and effort to develop a first-class report that caught the attention of the judges,” said Lewis. “We will be back again next year with a new team and continued dedication to reaching the top level.”

Image:
Seated, left to right: Team members Mason Case, Elizabeth Hunter, Kathryn Bokun, and Nicholas Brennan. Standing: Team member Robert Maddox (far left) and Southeastern team adviser Danielle Lewis (center left) with representatives from Gulf Coast Bank & Trust
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