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Four finance majors from the School of Business at Southern Adventist University placed second out of 11 schools at the annual Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge in February 2026. The invitation-only competition is the culmination of months of work from business students at universities in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.

In the fall, the teams began researching a pharmaceutical company called Harrow, Inc., ultimately trying to decide whether to buy or sell the corporate stock. But the real work began last December, when quarterly reports were released. Seniors Weston Bredall, Marco Grijalva, and Ethan Demaree, along with sophomore Tanner Griggs worked tirelessly for three months to write a report and create a presentation for the CFA Challenge. At the Nashville competition, the team received perfect feedback from the judges on the Q&A section of the presentation and took second place overall.

“I am incredibly proud of our team,” says Joelle Akiki, DBA, faculty advisor for the CFA Challenge. “What stood out most to me was not just the final result, but the discipline, resilience, and growth I saw in our students throughout the process. It was so meaningful to see our students represent Southern so well, both in technical skill and in character. As their advisor, I always emphasize that finance is not just about performance, but about stewardship and integrity, and I truly believe they reflected that throughout the competition.”

David Harkins, CFA, CPA, Chair of the Greater Tennessee Research Challenge, says: “Through rigorous research, valuation analysis, and persuasive presentations, participants develop the skills and professional discipline that define our industry. We are proud to support and celebrate these outstanding students, and we congratulate this year’s winners for their exceptional achievement.”

Bredall credits God for leading the team through the challenge. “God was just a remarkable cornerstone through the entire thing and gave me the strength to speak in front of the judges,” he recalls. “I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to participate, and I want to encourage other business students to do it, too. You won’t regret it!”

“Experiential learning opportunities like the CFA Challenge play a key role in business education,” says Stephanie Sheehan, PhD, dean of the School of Business. “This active learning approach deepens understanding, boosts confidence, and cultivates the innovative mindset needed to succeed in today’s competitive business environment.”

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