Troy, N.Y. — In an effort to bridge classroom theory and practice, a delegation of eight graduate and undergraduate students from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lally School of Management and Technology will join 152 students from 36 schools to participate in the third annual Rotman International Trading Competition (RITC) at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management Feb.24-25. Using simulated trading cases, teams of students from Canada, the United States, and Europe will have an opportunity to test their trading skills in a realistic environment. 

“The trading floor competition is a wonderful illustration of experiential learning at its best,” said David Gautschi, dean of the Lally School. “Our faculty leader — Professor Stephanie Rauterkus — has worked with two student teams represented by undergraduate and graduate students on different cases to help them to understand the intricacies of how trades are really made under the pressures of a real trading floor. The faculty and student interaction in preparing for this competition reflects our commitment to assist in Rensselaer’s effort to become a world-class research university with global reach and global impact.”

According to RITC officials, the competition places students in trading situations similar to those of the real world. Participants are tested on their skills in actual trading, financial analysis and econometric modeling, and their ability to integrate all their knowledge in real-time simulations. 

A total of 38 teams will participate in the competition, and Rensselaer is one of two schools that will be represented by two teams. Participating schools include MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Carnegie Mellon University, University of London, Duke University, and others. 

“In the classroom, we explain theories and teach students to use technology to solve practical problems. This type of competition gives students an opportunity to test what they are learning in a new environment against students from other institutions,” said Stephanie Rauterkus, clinical assistant professor in the Lally School. “This practical experience, competing with their peers, better prepares them to compete in the marketplace.”

About Rensselaer’s Lally School
Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management and Technology was founded in 1963 as an integral part of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the nation’s oldest degree-granting technological university. Building on Rensselaer’s heritage of more than 175 years of leadership in science and engineering, the Lally School is dedicated to advancing business through innovation. The Lally School’s curriculum is designed to produce leaders who combine creative passion with the ability to integrate technology across business functions. The faculty emphasizes the value of hands-on experience available through campus resources such as the Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship and the nation’s first on-campus business incubator. Rensselaer’s Lally School offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs in management, doctoral programs in management and technology, an Executive MBA program, and a joint Sino-U.S. MBA for companies operating in China. For more information on the Lally School, go to www.lallyschool.rpi.edu.

Contact: Jessica Otitigbe
Phone: (518) 276-6050
E-mail: otitij@rpi.edu