March 14, 2025
On the fifth day aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Mariner of the Seas, Tyler Brake and Ted Niemann received the news they had been eagerly waiting for. A panel of distinguished judges announced that the University of Missouri–St. Louis duo had taken first place in the Career Exploration Competition on the Financial ConNEXTion Educational Cruise. The students had made their presentation on the second day of the cruise, which departed from Galveston, Texas, on February 17. In the days following the presentation, they participated in networking opportunities, financial presentations, and events on the cruise, along with stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
Brake and Niemann’s success continued a long tradition of UMSL victories in the competition under Gary Flotron, an adjunct professor and industry professional who has guided UMSL students through the competition for over a decade. Flotron stated that this victory marked UMSL’s third championship since 2013. The competition required the students to submit a 16-page paper, which included interviews with at least eight professionals, but Brake and Niemann exceeded the minimum by conducting 42 interviews. The students chose a sports trivia theme for their presentation, which they believe helped them win the judges over. Their victory serves as a testament to the preparation, hard work, and networking opportunities they had during the competition.
