In the Fall 2025, the UConn Stamford team participated again in the national College Fed Challenge competition, where teams analyze economic and financial conditions and formulate a monetary policy recommendation, modeling the Federal Open Market Committee. This year, 139 teams participated in the Challenge, so the competition was fierce. The video of the UConn Stamford team is here.

Here is UConn Stamford’s 2025 College Fed Challenge Team:

Angel Bravo is a B.S. Economics major with minors in Accounting & Mathematics at the University of Connecticut, where he focuses on financial markets, economic research, and quantitative analysis. His coursework in econometrics, financial accounting, and programming has equipped him with a strong analytical foundation that supports his long-term goal of becoming a quantitative analyst in the banking industry.

During his time as a team member of the Fall 2025 College Fed Challenge, Angel contributed research on tariffs and monetary policy implementation. Beyond the classroom, he is also conducting research on global economic development and income inequality among countries, which he will present at an undergraduate research conference in New York. Additionally, he is an active member of the Economics Research & Policy Club and participates in UConn’s Honors Program, where he served as a student facilitator to promote academic curiosity, leadership, and student-led initiatives.

With his combined experience in research and student leadership, Angel also hopes to one day pursue college-level teaching in the further future. He is deeply committed to his academic and professional development and looks forward to advancing his studies through future master’s work and a career in quantitative finance.

Anthony Brunetto is a senior majoring in economics. His interest in the Fed Challenge started when he saw the 2024 team take a picture with the current Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, posted in the hallway, and from that point, he was determined to join the team. His main contribution to the team was researching inflation and how the Fed’s policy impacted bond and stock markets. Anthony, while studying economics, has an interest in wealth management, which is directly affected by the Fed’s monetary policy, so he took Money and Banking and Practicum to expand his knowledge of how the Federal Reserve operates and how money works. Anthony plans to use his knowledge he gained in the Fed challenge, as well as his undergrad studies, to become a wealth advisor post-grad.

Jagger Ferrajina is a senior Economics major at the University of Connecticut with a strong interest in monetary policy, global markets, and international trade. He works in vessel operations at John F. Dillon & Co., where he has gained hands-on experience in dry bulk shipping, charter parties, and global logistics.

He is actively involved in UConn’s Fed Challenge and serves as Vice President of the Economics Research & Policy Club, helping create opportunities for students to engage with economic policy and current events on the Stamford campus. Through both academic and professional experience, Jagger has developed a strong interest in the intersection of economics, finance, and global trade, and he plans to pursue a career in these fields following graduation.

Constantine Lampronikos is a senior Economics Major at the University of Connecticut with strong interest in Finance and relationship-driven business. He has developed hands-on industry experience through internships in both the tanker and dry-bulk sectors of the shipping industry, where he worked on voyage calculations, freight rate analysis, and operational logistics. He is fascinated by the way business systems interconnect across markets, industries, and economic environments.

Throughout his undergraduate schooling, he has balanced full-time coursework with professional commitments. Recently, he maintained an internship at John F. Dillon & Co as well as his job as a server at Columbus Park Trattoria in Stamford, both while actively participating in the Fed Challenge and being enrolled full-time in school. Constantine prides himself on his work ethic, adaptability, and ability to cooperate with others. He is highly motivated and continually searching to meet people, gain fresh insight, and build new skills. Outside of academics, he enjoys fitness, travel, trying new things, all while spending time with friends and family.

Kothan Nieves-Orama is a Junior Economics student accelerating his academic career through the 4+1 Fast-Track program for a master’s in public policy. His academic pursuits are deeply informed by his professional experience as a Relationship Banker, where he gained firsthand insight into the complexities and impacts of the banking sector.

As the Editor-In-Chief for the Economic Research & Policy Club, Kothan merges his passion for economic theory with his avid interest in History and Philosophy. This role, along with his dedication to synthesizing complex information, has catalyzed his interest in teaching and mentorship. He actively cultivates these skills as a Path Mentor for incoming Freshmen and as an Honors Ube-Facilitator, a key leadership position overseeing Honors First-Year Seminar Courses across regional campuses. This extensive background in leadership positions will help Kothan to seamlessly transition into a career dedicated to educating future generations.

Calebe Velozo is a Brazilian student majoring in economics with a minor in information technology. His interest in the Fed Challenge grew through studying how monetary policy influences the broader economy and financial conditions. Calebe also works at Apple, where he acquired skills to understand the financial aspect of our monetary policy presentation. For the Fed Challenge, Calebe focused on understanding key economic indicators and how they guide policy decisions. He plans to use the knowledge gained from this experience, along with his coursework, to continue developing in the fields of economics, technology, and data driven decision making.

Alexys Williams is a junior honors student at UConn majoring in Economics. She developed an interest in economics through her love of geography and a fascination with how countries and markets are interconnected. She enjoys exploring the world’s complexity and understanding how economic systems influence global outcomes.

She has applied her interests through internships in asset management and private equity, gaining experience in market monitoring and macro-financial analysis. Her coursework in Money and Banking and Quantitative Analysis has provided a strong foundation in both theory and practice. She contributed to the Fed Challenge team by researching labor markets, which deepened her understanding of macroeconomic dynamics. Alexys also serves as Secretary of the Economics Research and Policy Council, a club dedicated to promoting economic literacy and engagement on the UConn Stamford campus. Outside of academics, she enjoys photography, cooking, baking, and aviation. She makes it a goal to constantly learn, embrace new challenges, and grow from every experience.

The Graduate Student Adviser to the team was Dmitrii Tuzov.

Dmitrii Tuzov is a graduate student in the MS in Business Analytics & Project Management program, where he is pursuing advanced studies in data science, machine learning, and AI-driven decision-making. Before joining UConn, Dmitrii worked as a financial and investment analyst and later advanced into roles spanning the full data analytics vertical: business analytics, data science and engineering, where he delivered predictive models, cost-control systems, and data pipelines that informed both operational and strategic decisions.

He served as an advisor for the Stamford Fed Challenge team, supporting students in economic analysis, forecasting, and policy communication. In this role, he advised students on collecting, analyzing, and interpreting macroeconomic data; showed forecasting and econometric techniques; and guided the team’s analytical argumentation and preparation of evidence-based economic presentations. Beyond academics, Dmitrii is actively involved in AI/ML research and business initiatives and is passionate about helping younger students grow both technically and professionally.

The value of participation in the College Fed Challenge competition can not be overestimated. In addition to a deep academic leaning about the conduct of monetary policy in the U.S., students develop many career competencies that will be helpful in their various pursuits after graduation.