Fairfield University’s Charles F. Dolan School of Business achieved a top-five placement at the 20th Annual Rotman International Trading Competition (RITC), held from February 21 to 23 at the Toronto School of Management in Canada. RITC is a 3-day event in which student teams compete in simulated markets – honing their skills through industry seminars, case studies, and networking opportunities.

The six-student Fairfield Dolan team participated alongside students from 50 universities across four continents, utilizing the industry-leading RIT Market Simulator platform to navigate real-world scenarios.

Junior finance major Lucy Fowler ’25 acted as Dolan team leader for the CAPM Algorithmic Trading section and was assigned as a trader for Commodities and Electricity cases. “The Rotman International Trading Competition was the most fascinating academic experience of a lifetime,” she said. “The trading rooms were full of energy. People were on call with their team members, yelling out stock prices and watching their Profit and Loss (P&L) move.”

Leading up to the competition, the Dolan undergraduates spent hundreds of hours preparing Excel spreadsheets and Python scripts. This effort paid off during the simulation, which involved buying and selling assets such as equities, futures, and options to maximize their profits. 

“Throughout my Rotman journey,” Fowler said, “I not only learned the intricacies of the trading market but also learned a lot about the value of teamwork.” She credited her Fairfield Dolan teammates and their faculty advisor, associate professor of finance Walter Hlawitschka, PhD, with the group’s achievement, which was recognized at an awards ceremony held at the Hockey Hall of Fame.