FIR student team wins 2nd place in TVA Case Competition

For release:  March 13, 2018

The Department of Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate (FIR) recently had two student teams compete in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Case Competition. The team composed of Brandon Russell, Jarad Jirari, and Cameron Bell, won second place overall and finished above the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. The team was led by FIR instructor, Leslie Mathis. For winning, the team received $2,500 in scholarships.

The TVA Case Study Competition is designed to educate and prepare the next generation of business professionals and to increase students' exposure to the corporate business world. The case competition aims to help participants better understand the variety of career opportunities in the field of business professional services and connecting them with TVA business professionals. The interactive program includes case simulation, soft skills components, and presentations that provide students with insights and perspectives on challenges facing TVA and the utility industry today and the future trends that may impact it tomorrow.

"We are proud of the students' accomplishment," says Dr. PK Jain, interim FIR Department Chair. "The success in this inter-university case competition organized by a major employer shows the preparedness of FIR students for corporate finance jobs. It is also a testimony to Professor Mathis' commitment to teaching excellence in the capstone course on Cases in Managerial Finance."

"This is the first time that the Fogelman College has competed in the TVA's Case Competition," said Professor Leslie Mathis. "I hope that we can compete in this competition in future years as well. It is great that our students can gain experience in making decisions that impact economic development and the environment."