Finance Students Win Local Finals of Research Challenge

Four students recently celebrated their win after the five-month competition concluded

Students from SHU’s Jack Welch College of Business & Technology came in first place at the local finals, hosted by the CFA Society of Hartford, Providence, RI, and Stamford, of the CFA Institute Research Challenge.

Following their win, the team then advanced to the Eastern U.S. Sub-Regional, where they placed first against local winners from other major CFA societies in the northeast. This victory saw the team from SHU qualify for the regional semifinal, to compete against other sub-regional champions from across the Americas. Although the group did not advance past this stage, this achievement marked the first time anyone from SHU, and the CFA Society of Hartford, Providence and Stamford achieved this feat.

The CFA challenge is an annual competition that takes place over five months, beginning with regional rounds and ending with a global final. The challenge allows students from 100 countries and more than 1,000 universities to gain real-world experience as they assume the role of research analysts. Students choose a company and work to prepare its valuations, culminating with a presentation before a panel of judges.

The four Sacred Heart University students, João Pedro Nunes ’25, John Murray ’26, Connor Garrison ’26 and Giovanni Crepaldi, MS ’25, volunteered to embark on the challenge last October, with the help of their faculty adviser, Jin Cai, assistant professor of finance. Their performance at the local finals of the competition saw them surpass other area schools, including Yale University, Quinnipiac University and the competition’s most successful school, Providence College.

“At the local level, we adopted this underdog mentality,” said Crepaldi. “We were confident in what we knew and the work that we had put in, but we knew that we were underestimated going into the challenge.”

Developing their collective confidence took some time, the group admitted. “The beginning was the hardest. We were still learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses and working mostly on our own,” said Garrison.

Murray added, “Once we began working together and embraced collaboration, we started to feel like we could really accomplish something.”

Their faculty adviser could not have been more pleased with the way the group came together and rallied to find success. “I’m incredibly proud of Giovanni, John, João Pedro and Connor,” Cai said. “They brought a rare combination of discipline, intellectual curiosity and teamwork to every stage of the CFA challenge. Their success is well-deserved and reflects not only their talent but also their commitment to learning and growth. I have no doubt they’ll excel wherever their futures lead.”

The challenge, while grueling at times, provided the students with a learning experience they will cherish forever. “After we learned that collaboration is key in a challenge like this, the experience became much more professional,” said Garrison. “It was some of the best training for postgraduate life I’ve had. In this real-world experience, we learned how important it is to have a dedicated team by your side.”

The group’s performance in the competition was particularly rewarding for Crepaldi.

“After some time to reflect on our performance and the challenge as a whole, I couldn’t help but feel proud and hopeful for the next generation of students,” he said. “It’s exciting to see where the program and the University are headed in the future; our students, staff and faculty are getting the chance to show just how special they are.”