Graduate students from Bard College and undergraduate students from Virginia Wesleyan University were announced as the winners of the third annual Student Corporate Engagement Competition, hosted by the Intentional Endowments Network.
The competition invites student teams to propose an investment in any U.S.-based publicly traded company and then formulate an engagement strategy they would implement as a shareholder, said Nicole Torrico, the network's program director.
"We work with schools on the education side, business schools primarily, looking at student-managed investment funds and curriculum and how their institutions can integrate sustainable investing into the education piece," Ms. Torrico said.
The competition was created to fill that gap in learning that exists at many colleges and universities, she said. A total of 10 graduate and undergraduate teams submitted required materials, which included the written investment recommendation for the company and a proposed shareholder engagement strategy that aligned with the network's social equity and climate goals.
Working during the spring semester, the teams also received coaching from members of IEN and shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow.
The team at Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, N.Y., that won top graduate honors picked NextEra Energy Inc. as their company, and its shareholder proposal addressed human rights risks in the global renewable energy supply chain.
The team at Virginia Wesleyan University, Norfolk, that won top undergraduate honors picked Ford Motor Co. based on its growing commitment to electric vehicles and created a proposal for the development of an EV-lithium-battery recycling program through the auto manufacturer's factories and dealerships.
The competition was sponsored by Federated Hermes and TIAA-CREF. Further information on the competition is available on IEN's website.