Competition team is runner-up in Microsoft Analytics Challenge

A shout-out to the students from James Madison University's College of Business who were among those from 31 universities and seven nations participating April 9, in a virtual Student Leadership Conference hosted by the Association for Information Systems (AIS), an international professional association for information systems.

In the Microsoft Analytics Challenge, a case-study competition that served as one of the focal points for the conference, a JMU team made up of Logan Franz, Anthony Farewell and Dylan Patel finished second overall with its submission titled "GREEN: Gateway to Realizing Enduring Energy Now.” It presented an evidence-based solution to promote sustainability and implement clean sources of energy.

The JMU team was pitted against five others from across the United States, including both graduates and undergraduates. The team credits its strong showing to the support it received from two CIS lecturers—Carey Cole, who coaches the team, and Shawn Lough, who serves as the faculty advisor for the AIS student chapter at JMU.

“The conference was a great opportunity to learn from industry leaders and connect with other AIS students from across the nation,” says Franz, a senior from Fishersville, VA, with a CIS/music double major. “Our involvement wouldn’t have been possible without our tremendous CIS/BSAN faculty, and Shawn Lough and Carey Cole in particular.”

In addition to its second-place finish in the Microsoft Analytics Challenge, the AIS student chapter was recognized for the excellence of its member activities and communications throughout the 2020-2021 academic year, during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic.