A team of graduate finance students from Illinois Institute of Technology reached the semifinals of the McGill International Portfolio Challenge (MIPC), an annual global competition focused on buy-side finance. The event brings together university teams from six continents and offers a total of $50,000 Canadian in cash prizes for semifinalists and finalists.
The MIPC centers on societal challenges where institutional investors such as pension funds play important roles. This year’s challenge asked participants to propose ways to mobilize capital for restoring nature and creating long-term value amid increasing biodiversity loss.
Representing Illinois Tech were Nicole Kadziola, My Thao Doan Pham, Elton Thomas, and Siyuan Wang—all graduate students at Stuart School of Business. Their faculty adviser was Clinical Associate Professor Michael Rybak.
Teams submitted written investment proposals addressing the contest's themes. A panel of professionals in institutional investing reviewed these submissions and selected 25 teams for the semifinals. Semifinalists presented their proposals live before judges and answered questions about their strategies.
Participants also had opportunities to interact with asset managers and industry professionals through symposiums, guest lectures, recruiting sessions, and networking events organized by MIPC.
Illinois Tech has a history of strong performances at MIPC over the past nine years. Teams have previously advanced to finals in 2017 and 2019, earning both team distinctions and individual awards for quantitative analysis and presentation skills.
"The 2025 MIPC challenge called on the student teams to develop creative ways to mobilize capital to restore nature and unlock long-term value creation at a time when global biodiversity loss is accelerating and threatening the ecosystems that humans depend on."
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