Bringing together 105 students from 19 dynamic teams representing 11 universities, the 2024 Econ Games proved to be a testament to the spirit of collaboration and innovation in academia. Hosted by the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics, this prestigious event provided an unparalleled platform for students to apply classroom concepts to real-world challenges.
Throughout the two-day competition, participants demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills, utilizing critical and creative thinking to analyze data and craft innovative solutions. Sponsored by Kentucky REALTORS®, this year's challenge tasked students to work on a comprehensive analysis of the housing market dynamics in Kentucky, considering both demand and supply factors over the next 5 to 10 years. The analysis involved segmenting the market by various criteria, such as price range and number of bedrooms, to gauge the quantity of homes required to meet projected demand shifts while maintaining price stability. Additionally, teams were tasked with crafting policy proposals to incentivize home construction in alignment with demand projections and mitigate market volatility.
“KY Realtors was privileged to be the Data Sponsor for the 2024 Econ Games. Each group of students applied themselves to understand market trends and provide policy solutions that strive towards providing housing opportunities for all,” said Pam Featherstone, 2024 President of KY Realtors.
Kyle Tetzlaff, Chief Operating Officer of KY Realtors added “Each group of students put forth quality presentations that quantified the housing shortage in Kentucky and proposed unique solutions to the housing crisis we are currently facing. The policy solutions these students shared have given Kentucky Realtors numerous ideas and resources to further advocate for the access to housing across our Commonwealth.”
“The Econ Games are an incredible opportunity to apply class curriculum to real-world issues. I participated last year and chose to participate again this year because I enjoyed collaborating with peers of different majors and years to process and deliver a solution to the complex challenges posed by the data sponsors, " said Jonah Heck, a finance and economics student at the college.
“The Econ Games were an amazing learning experience! I participated last year, but this year, I was made a captain for the first time. Combining the hard skills of data analysis with the soft skills of collaboration and teamwork was challenging, but my teammates were outstanding and brought all they could to the table,” Wilson Insko, an economics/marketing double major minoring in business analytics, said. “Going from having never met my teammates to having to solve a complex problem within 24 hours was a challenge, but we were able to effectively use our skills towards the common goal,” he added.
They worked through Thursday and Friday before making their final presentations on Friday afternoon. Six teams represented the University of Kentucky. Jonah’s and Wilson’s teams placed second and third, respectively, while a team of Miami University students took first place.
The Econ Games is co-founded by UK economics professor Dr. Patel and Gatton College of Business alum and associate dean for graduate studies and research at NKU's Haile College of Business, Dr. Abdullah Al-Bahrani.
"We are immensely proud of all the participants who showcased their talent and dedication throughout the Econ Games," said Dr. Patel. "The event exemplified the transformative power of experiential learning, as students collaborated, problem-solved, and delivered impactful solutions to real-world challenges."
We are extremely fortunate and thankful for all our sponsors: Stata, MiddleGround Capital, Fischer Homes, Pearson, ISFE, Enterprise Mobility, CoastalCloud, Aldi, and Cengage.
For additional details on Econ Games and partnership opportunities, please contact Darshak Patel or visit the website here.
