NEWS

A team of finance students from Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business took home first place honors during the 2022 CFA Society of Mississippi’s Ethics Challenge.

Under the direction of Assistant Professor of Finance Dr. Ming Ju, Caleb Whitman of Ruston, Ben Kevil of Shreveport, and Wes Barlow of Shreveport, traveled to Jackson to compete against teams from Millsaps College, Jackson State University, and Mississippi College.

“The competition was a great opportunity for our students to learn more about ethics, to explore real-life ethical issues in the business world, and to gain ethical decision-making skills by finding solutions,” said Dr. Ju. “The event also helped the students enhance their professional presentation, teamwork, and career readiness skills. They expanded their professional networks and forged links by interacting with the judges and the event organizers, who are all experienced investment professionals.”

The CFA Ethics Challenge is designed to increase students’ awareness of the ethical challenges they will face in the workplace as finance professionals. Each team analyzed a real-world case containing various ethical dilemmas and presented their recommendations to a panel of judges. Analysis focused on violations of the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, considered the ethical benchmark for investment professionals around the globe.

“I’m thankful for the insight I gained into the CFA designation and the ethical code that members are held to,” said Whitman. “Speaking in front of business professionals is a wonderful opportunity to grow your style and presentation skills. I wanted to challenge myself to try new things and I liked working with a team to achieve a common goal. It was a very rewarding experience, and, as a team, we far exceeded my expectations.”

Louisiana Tech has been a member of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program since 2017. This status signals to students and employers that the curriculum is closely tied to the practice of investment management and is helpful to students preparing for the CFA Program exams. As a participating institution, the College embeds a significant portion of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge into the finance curriculum. 

CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion of ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. There are more than 170,000 CFA charter holders worldwide and 161 local member societies. The CFA Society of Mississippi has 90 active members and works to advance our region’s investment and financial communities through education, professionalism, and ethics.

For more information about Louisiana Tech finance program, visit business.latech.edu/finance.