College of Business students take first place at banking competition

A new banking program and a newly formed team did not stop four UTA College of Business students from earning first place at the Risk Management Association’s Texas Commercial Lending Case Competition.

Held annually in Austin, the competition is organized by RMA and the Texas Bankers Association and challenges students across Texas to analyze a real-world credit case and present a commercial loan recommendation to a panel of senior banking professionals, who evaluate proposals based on financial performance, risk and structure.

For UTA, the win marks a major milestone for a banking program still in its first year. 

“Winning the RMA Texas competition shows that our banking program is delivering real substance from day one,” said Dr. Teng Wang, finance professor and director of the banking certificate. “This is one of the most rigorous banking competitions in the state, and earning first place in our inaugural year validates both the design of the program and the caliber of our students.”

Wang said assembling the team was a challenge. Participation required enrollment in Finance 4317, Lending and Credit Analysis, a course developed in collaboration with RMA. Because many students who previously took the course had graduated, the team was formed from students who enrolled in January, placing them at a disadvantage against more experienced programs.

The team included Ashrita Shrestha, a first-year master’s student, Phuong Duong, a finance senior, and Noah Fitch and Ian Griffin from the College of Business’s Student Managed Investment Fund.

From left to right, Phuong Duong, Ashrita Shrestha, Ian Griffin and Noah Fitch. Photo courtesy of Teng Wang. 

“It was a lot of pressure at first because we were balancing other classes and working as a brand-new team,” Shrestha said. “Once we received the materials in early February, we started meeting regularly, getting to know each other and diving into the case.”

Students worked concurrently, applying what they were learning in real-time by analyzing a real commercial lending case involving a wholesale manufacturer of sporting goods and accessories, evaluating industry conditions, financial statements and borrower risk before presenting their recommendation.

Wang said the competition closely reflects the realities of commercial banking and provides students with a direct opportunity to apply classroom learning in a professional context.

“The RMA competition is built around real-world lending and credit analysis cases, the same type of work students would do in a banking career,” Wang said. “Our students were able to take what they were learning in the classroom, and immediately apply it in a hands-on, high-pressure environment. That kind of applied learning is a core part of the banking program and helps students build confidence and practical skills that translate directly to the workplace.”

Shrestha said she was confident in the team’s preparation but surprised by the final result.

“I was pretty confident we were in the top three; our presentation went well and so did the Q&A,” Shrestha said. “I was really shocked when they said first place, it was a pleasant surprise.”

The student present their recommendation to a panel of judges. Photo courtesy of Teng Wang.

Both Duong and Shrestha said the finance course played a key role in preparing them for the competition. Duong, a student in the banking certificate program, said working alongside graduate students exposed her to different perspectives and mentorship while helping her determine whether a career in banking is the right fit.

“I really liked being able to learn from older students like Ashrita, because they have different perspectives,” Duong said. “The certificate also helps you figure out if this is the career path you want to pursue.”

Wang said the team’s first-place finish impacts the future of the banking program by sending a signal to employers that UTA students are well-prepared to make an impact in the industry. Wang said that after the win, RMA help promote the students to its banking members.

“Employers now see that our students can perform at a high level in applied, real-world scenarios. It also helps deepen relationships with organizations like RMA and local banks, which creates more opportunities for student placement and engagement,” Wang said. “Longer term, it positions the program as a serious pipeline for banking talent, even at an early stage of its development.”

Interested in learning more about our banking certificate? Learn more in the University Catalog: https://catalog.uta.edu/business/finance/undergraduate/banking-cert/#text