DSU Students Compete in Barron's Challenge
By Joyce C. Rhoads '02

One of the requirements for the Fall 2005 Personal Finance class, included The Barrons Challenge, which is an online investment contest. Charles Finady, assistant professor in business, shared business advice and gave his class the incentive to give the contest a go!

Presently, seniors David Graver, who is a dual major in Marriage and the Family and also  Theology, and Michael Zinn, a dual major in Mathematics and Secondary Education, rank seventh and third respectively in the October 17, 2005 -April 24, 2006 contest. 

Zinn won $500 and he was photographed by Barrons; and, Graver won a Barrons subscription and was interviewed by phone.  Both DeSales students will be mentioned in an upcoming article by Barrons.

The Barrons Challenge spans six months and is open to full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students and professors at accredited U.S. two- or four-year colleges or universities. The students and professors are judged in separate categories and prizes of $1,500, $1,000 and $500 are awarded to the three winners in each group.

Business contestants set up their account with $100,000 using a specialized portfolio simulation created by Stock-Trak, a Duluth, Georgia firm. They follow specific financial guidelines and rules covering the buying, trading, accumulation, and fund reserves.

In the previous Challenge in May 2005, Finady stated Business alumnus, Russell Susko '05, received national ranking by placing tenth in the Final Report Card for The Barrons Challenge. Susko accumulated an account value of $112,424.84 noting a 12.4 percent change overall. Currently, Susko works for Aurora Loan Services in New Jersey.

Contact Charles Finady, assistant professor of Business, at (610) 282-1100, ext. 1852; or by email, Charles.Finady@desales.edu for more information about The Barron's Challenge.