Siena's Federal Reserve Challenge Team

Siena’s Federal Reserve Challenge Team placed in the Top 6 out of 35 Colleges in the New York Federal Reserve District.

          The College Fed Challenge is a team competition for undergraduate college students inspired by the working of the Federal Open Market Committee. It is intended to encourage students to learn more about the U.S. macro economy, the Federal Reserve System and the implementation of monetary policy and financial stability policy. It is also aimed at spurring interest in economics and finance as subjects for advanced study and as the basis for a career.

          Siena’s Team was composed of finance majors: Vincent Crocitto, Nathaniel McDonald, and Brian DiCaprio and economics majors: Matthew Beyer and Robert Burklund.

          In the preliminary round on November 5^th , they received 18 out of 20 points for their 15 minute presentation on the appropriate path for future monetary policy and their ability to explain and defend their position during a 15 minute question and answer period. The score bested the teams from schools such as Cornell, SUNY-Binghamton, and Rutgers. For only the second time in six years, Siena’s Team advanced to the November 18^th semi-finals at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York City. In the morning competition, our students performed well, but in a strong division failed to defeat the school that emerged from the afternoon finals as the winner.

          In addition, the training and preparation of the presenters was facilitated by alternate presenter Gregory Morrison and by a group of dedicated support personal, including, Selma Chamy, Steven Lanciotti, and David Troiano. Dr. Thomas Kopp of the Finance Department was their faculty adviser.

Congratulations to the entire group for their accomplishment, which was the by-product of many hours of hard work.

Michael Duffy '15

Michael Duffy

Junior – Class of 2015 School of Business Accounting Major

While researching gun violence and gun control in the United States with Dr. Doug Lonnstrom, Junior Michael Duffy, found undergraduate research to be an awarding experience.

          Being an accounting major, his project was geared towards statistics. It had a broad linkage to his major field. Michael believes that the linkage to research, something you are interested in, and your major or future career interest is a great advantage.

          Michael presented off campus at the Upstate New York Undergraduate Research Conference and found it to be a “wonderful experience”. There he was able to receive feedback which helped him shape his research. According to Michael it was “great to interact with other students and see what they have been working on". Michael also saw this as a great opportunity to work on his public speaking skills.

          Michael’s goals for his current research are to gather as much information as possible and clean it up enough to get published.

Students Hone Skills, Find Passion Through Research

by Mary Barrett ‘14

The Sarazen Student Union was a flurry of activity as Siena students shared their research with the College community during the Summer Research Symposium. Siena’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA) provides students with opportunities to work intensively with faculty on specific summer research projects. CURCA Director Cheryl Buff ’82, Ph.D. said the summer research program is “a good integration of content and theory.”

As the summer unfolded, students uncovered areas of interest and developed skills that will serve them well in their future careers. Economics major Stacey Morris ’14 conducted a cost/benefit analysis of domestic violence programs in Connecticut, research she’s continuing this academic year. “It helped me to see what I want to do after Siena,” Morris said.

Chelsea Needham ’15 spent five-and-a-half weeks in Virginia. She combined field and lab work while studying the ecological interactions between marine invertebrates and an invasive type of algae. “It taught me and prepared me better for graduate school in doing hands-on research,” Needham said. She too will continue her research this semester.

Many students who participated in CURCA’s summer research program recognized the benefits of their work when they returned to school this fall. Accounting major Michael Duffy ’15 studied gun control in the United States. Duffy said the experience helped him become more analytical in the classroom. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” said Duffy. “I learned a lot and it was good to get close with a professor and work on a topic that I’m interested in.”

English major Shauna Pratico ’14 and computer science major Lauren Mathews ’15 studied cyber bullying within video gaming environments. Mathews said the project helped her learn how to properly conduct research and surveys. Pratico hopes to apply her research by starting a campus club that would work with local high schools to diminish bullying.

Whether they’re finding new areas of interest, honing skills or building lasting relationships with faculty members, students in Siena’s summer research program are positioning themselves for future success and personal fulfillment. 

CURCA Steering Committee

Cheryl Buff

Professor of Marketing
Director, Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity
Colbeth Hall 222
(518)783-4277 
Cbuff@siena.edu  

Scott Foster                                                         Alison Larsen

Assistant Professor of Creative Arts                        Serials Librarian

Foy Hall 306                                                            Standish Library

(518)782-6891                                                        (518)782-6765

sfoster@siena.edu                                                  alarsen@siena.edu                               

Larry Medsker                                                     Alfredo Medina

Professor of Computer Science & Physics               Associate VPPA
Roger Bacon 121                                                     Siena Hall 219

(518)782-6593                                                         (518)782-6558

lmedsker@siena.edu                                               amedina@siena.edu

Ashley Provencher                                            Rachel Sterne-Marr

Assistant Professor of Economics                            Professor of Biology 

Colbeth Hall 120                                                       Morrell Science Centher 123

(518)783-4144                                                         (518)783-2462

aprovencher@siena.edu                                          sternemarr@siena.edu

Meg Woolbright                               

Director of FYSM, Professor of English
Kiernan Hall 218

(518)782-6593                                            

mwoolbright@siena.edu

CURCA Quick Notes: August

- CURCA is aware of over 500 student presentations of research and creative activity on campus  (AY 2012-2013).  Includes departmental colloquia and symposia, conferences, Academic Excellence Celebration, and First Year Seminar research presentations.

- CURCA is aware of over 100 student presentations of research and creative activity off campus (AY 2012-2013).  This includes local, regional, national and international conferences.

CURCA News.

- Students and Faculty: Please forward student presentation and publication information to curca@siena.edu .

- Faculty - Do you have a project to post?  Accepting research opportunity postings now.  

- Five students presented at NCUR in April 2012.

EVENTS

Summer Research Symposium

Friday, September 27, 2013

Location: Sarazen Student Union

Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Proposals accepted beginning July 25th

All Submissions Due by September 4th

Submit Proposal Here

For More Information Click Here

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Upstate Regional Undergraduate Research Conference

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Location: St. Lawrence University

Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Registration Due by: August 12th

For More Information Click Here

CURCA QR Codes

QR codes are located on the CURCA website under Travel and Research Resources. Please consider using them on your research posters and presentations. To go to the CURCA QR Code page scan the QR code on the left or click here.

School of Business Feature: Mary Hartwick '15

     Undergraduate research is more than case studies, experiments, and research; it is an experience. Mary Hartwick is continually reminded of this as she works closely with Dr. Paul Thurston researching the recent merge of Gilda’s Club and the American Cancer Society in the Capital Region. Mary is in the process of writing a case study, which she hopes to get published, about the merger of these two companies. Her case study will include the challenges nonprofits face with developing their sustainable revenue sources that help in their efforts to accomplish the mission of the organization. She hopes that her case study can be used by both students in strategic management classes as well as leaders of other nonprofit organizations. Previously, Mary worked on a different case with Dr. Thurston that studied Mother Myrick’s  Confectionary which has been accepted into the NACRA conference in Victoria, British Columbia this fall. To Mary, undergraduate research has been a learning experience. Throughout her experience she has learned how to conduct interviews, sift through archival data, take enormous amounts of information and write case studies out of it, and how to get case studies published. She also learned how to go through the proper channels in non-profit organizations to get the information she needs. According to Mary, “Undergraduate research is a valuable experience because it allows you to gain experience in a field that you might want to pursue after college and it allows you to gain connections in that field, or come into contact with people that can help you get to the field you want to be in”.

American Cancer Society photo is from www.dbqfoundation.org

Gilda's Club Photo is from: www.angelasbridal.net

To see the full newsletter visit the CURCAnews Webpage.