Excellent Ambition

The C. T. Bauer College of Business is known for its experiential curriculum and ambitious students. Like many schools, Bauer hosts numerous long-standing competitions to showcase student skills, drawing competitors from elite schools across the country.

One of the newest noteworthy events, Undergraduate Commodities Competition (UCC) 2024, drew participants and faculty from Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton, New York University and dozens of other prestigious schools to the University of Houston campus in October.

What makes the impressive turnout especially remarkable is that it was just the second year for the event, and each event was entirely organized by undergraduate students from the Bayou Capital Group  (BCG), a Bauer student organization.

Established by students in 2019, BCG is an elite investment fund founded to educate undergraduate students about intelligent securities investing through interactive equity research. BCG members conduct interactive research about companies, and work as portfolio managers and analysts to create equity reports and present stock pitches via the fund.

This year’s UCC event not only attracted numerous high-profile corporate sponsors – ConocoPhillips, Citibank, BP, Piper Sandler and others – but fielded 25 three or four person teams from top business schools in the U.S. and Canada.

The teams do extensive research on a commodity equity or trade idea that they then pitch to industry judges at UCC. Students also have ample opportunity to mix and mingle with industry professionals at an Energy Mixer the night before the competition.

The event has quickly become known as a significant recruiting tool for companies looking to employ traders. It gives students a chance to demonstrate proficiency and meet top level executives, said BCG President Chelsea Crow, an accounting senior. She and Vice President Emily Thomas, a finance senior, led UCC organizing efforts over the last year.

“The event fills a need in the recruitment process for companies specializing in trading, which is why the event is so attractive to undergraduates and professionals alike,” Thomas said. 

University of Pennsylvania, Virginia Tech, and University of British Columbia were this year’s top three winners and were awarded cash prizes of $2,000, $1,000, and $500, respectively.

Win or lose, Bauer College students say experiencing the competition expanded and broadened their knowledge about a niche financial profession that, like many things, has to be experienced to be truly understood.

Here are a few of their comments:

• “This hands-on experience gave me the confidence to take a pitch from concept to completion, and it prepared me for my career in finance by exposing me to valuing companies, formulating investment theses, and thinking critically about growth strategies.” –Huda Momin, Finance junior

• “UCC is an incredible way to explore commodities in an intimate and exciting way. I had the opportunity to speak with students and professionals from across the world and learn their experiences within the energy sector.”
  –Daniela Jovel, Finance freshman 

•  “UCC truly has the power to shed light on the industry of trading. There are no limits to the ideas or the pitches; everything is welcome, as long as you’re able to execute it well. The competition opened more avenues to me, and showed me there’s a place in trading for anyone’s interests.” – Nandini Aggarwal, Finance and Accounting sophomore