Fulton, MO – In another feather in the cap for the William Woods University (WWU) DECA chapter, a current senior at The Woods has been crowned as champion of the organization’s Collegiate Stock Market Competition.
Karyna Sagalai ’20, a native of Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, recently came in first place in the competition that included students from 40 colleges and universities across the nation. Currently working toward a degree with a triple major in business, accounting and management information, Karyna also is minoring in mathematics and is fluent in three languages.
DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) is an organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in the fields of marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. William Woods is one of 250 campuses around the world with a Collegiate DECA chapter.
The Collegiate DECA Stock Market Game is an online simulation that challenges teams with building and managing a $100,000 virtual investment portfolio of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Over 40 collegiate teams of participants managed all aspects of the portfolio including asset selection, buying and selling. Rankings were based on percentage growth against the S&P 500, with participants required to hold at least one bond, one stock and one mutual fund by the final trade date.
Karyna’s team included her advisors at WWU, including David Forster, associate professor of business and economics, and Brenda Popp, assistant professor of business.
The impressive showing of Karyna Sagalai in the collegiate stock market competition is the latest in a string of victories for the William Woods DECA chapter. Last February, William Woods became the first Missouri university ever to be named state Collegiate DECA Chapter of the Year for three consecutive years.
“Having Karyna win the national DECA Collegiate Stock Market competition, on top of WWU reigning as the state DECA Collegiate Chapter of the Year for the third consecutive year, is pretty remarkable,” said Forster. “Our success illustrates not only the outstanding quality of students we have, but also the exciting opportunities that await for someone who decides to attend The Woods.”
