Fed Challenge
Fed Challenge Description
The Fed Challenge is a competition held every fall semester in which a team of students (up to 5 can present, but there is no limit on the number of people that can work on the competition) analyses the current state of the economy and provides a monetary policy prescription to the Federal Reserve.
The competition takes place at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in early to mid-November.
The competition is formatted as follows:
(1) The team gives a 15 minute presentation on the state of the economy, an analysis of current Fed policy, and culminates in the team’s policy prescription
(2) Immediately after the presentation the judges (3 in the first round and 4 in the second) have 15 minutes to ask questions in which everything is fair game.
(3) After the first round (held in the morning) the top 4 teams are chosen to go onto the finals in the afternoon (which follows the same format)
(4) The best team from each participating Federal Reserve District goes onto Nations in Washington D.C.
The University of Wisconsin – Whitewater participated in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023.. In 2011 the UWW team placed 3rd overall (out of 17 teams), in 2012 place 4th overall (out of 15 teams), 2013 placed 3rd overall (out of 14 teams), in 2014 3rd overall and did well in 2015 as well.
The Fed Challenge is a fantastically fun experience for those that find economics, especially macroeconomics monetary policy, interesting; however, it is important to note that the competition requires a serious time commitment.
If you are interested please contact Dr. Yamin Ahmad (ahmady@uww.edu) or Dr. Narendra Regmi (regmin@uww.edu).
The Fed Challenge Team also receives a significant amount of support from their advisers:
Dr. Yamin Ahmad
Dr. Eylem Ersal
Dr. Krastina Dzhambova
Dr. Narendra Regmi
as well as from the College of Business and Economics and the Undergraduate Research Program.
Past Fed Challenge Members
Taylor Griffith [team captain](non-presenting member 2014, presenting member 2015,2016 )
Brandon Rust (presenting member 2015,2016)
Ronald Tittle (presenting member 2015,2016)
Mark Ellis (presenting member 2016)
Patrick Mroczkowski (presenting member 2016)
Emelia Tollison (non-presenting member 2016)
Jonathan Peters (non-presenting member 2016)Shane Otten (presenting member 2015)
Brent Zey (presenting member 2015)
Matthew Allbee (non-presenting member 2015)
Damon Benz (non-presenting member 2015)
Emmett Storts (non-presenting member 2014,2015)
Rick Grunewald (Presenting member 2014)
Kyle Grossmeyer (presenting member 2014)
Michael Babington (presenting member 2012)
Anthony Galston (presenting member 2013)
Tyler Thomas (non-presenting member 2013, presenting member 2014)
Mary Cummings (presenting member 2013 & 2014[team Captain])
Jason Baron (presenting member 2013)
Quinton Baker (presenting member 2010, 2011 [team captain], & 2012)
Derrek Grunfelder-McCrank (non-presenting member 2011, presenting member 2012, 2013 [team Captain] & 2014)
Samuel Lisicki (presenting member 2011 & 2012, non-presenting member 2013)
Jaeger Nelson (presenting member 2011 & 2012 [team captain])
Jose Zenteno (non-presenting member 2012, presenting member 2013)
Jason Hartwig (presenting member 2010 & 2011)
Steven Rockwell (presenting member 2011)
Eric Cramer (presenting member 2010 [team captain])
Travis Lange (Presenting member 2010)
Brandon Narveson (presenting member 2010)
Fed Challenge Team 2015
From Left to Right: Ronald Tittle, Brandon Rust, Taylor Griffith, Shane Otten, and Brent Zey
Fed Challenge Team 2013
From Left to Right: Anthony Galston, Tyler Thomas, Mary Cummings, Jose Zenteno, Jason Baron, and Derrek Grunfelder-McCrank
Fed Challenge Team 2012
From Left to Right: Michael Babington, Sam Lisicki, Jaeger Nelson, Derrek Grunfelder-McCrank, Jose Zenteno, and Quinton Baker
Fed Challenge Team 2011
From Left to Right: Derrek Grunfelder-McCrank, Jaeger Nelson, Jason Hartwig, Steven Rockwell, Quinton Baker, and Samuel Lisicki
Fed Challenge Team 2010
From Left to Right: Travis Lange, Eric Cramer, Jason Hartwig, Brandon Narveson, and Quinton Baker
