Rotman Microsoft® Excel® Hackathon – BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab

Rotman Microsoft Excel Hackathon

Undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Toronto (St. George, UTM and Scarborough campuses) are invited to participate in the Rotman Microsoft® Excel® Hackathon 2025 supported by CCI Learning® facilitated by the BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab at the Rotman School of Management (Rotman FRT-Lab).

The Excel® Hackathon will be an In Person event hosted at labs on your home campus. See Location(s) below. This year we will hold two sessions – a Fall 2024 and Winter 2025 session.

Attending an Excel Hackathon offers numerous benefits for personal and professional growth. Firstly, it provides an excellent opportunity to enhance your skills. By working on real-world problems, you gain practical experience that goes beyond theoretical knowledge. You can learn new techniques, master advanced Excel functions, and improve your problem-solving abilities. This hands-on experience is invaluable and helps you see the direct impact of your solutions.

Moreover, Excel Hackathons are fantastic networking opportunities. You can connect with a diverse group of participants, including students, professionals, and industry experts. These events foster collaboration, allowing you to work in teams, share knowledge, and leverage each other’s strengths. Many hackathons also provide access to mentors who offer valuable insights and advice, further enriching your experience.

In terms of career advancement, participating in a hackathon allows you to showcase your skills in a competitive environment. This can attract the attention of potential employers and help you stand out in job applications. Adding a hackathon project to your portfolio demonstrates your ability to apply skills in practical scenarios, giving you a significant advantage in job interviews. Additionally, some hackathons are sponsored by companies looking to hire talent, providing direct job opportunities for participants.

Hackathons often come with attractive prizes, such as cash rewards, gadgets, and software licenses. Winning a prize not only provides financial support but also enhances your credibility and reputation within the community. Even if you don’t win, performing well gives you valuable recognition.

Personal growth is another significant benefit. Hackathons challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and tackle complex problems, fostering resilience and adaptability. Successfully completing a project and presenting it to judges boosts your confidence and helps you become more comfortable with public speaking.

Lastly, Excel Hackathons are fun and exciting. The dynamic atmosphere, team spirit, and sense of achievement make these events highly rewarding. Whether you are looking to improve your skills, advance your career, or simply enjoy the thrill of competition, an Excel Hackathon offers something valuable for everyone.

What are the benefits of attending the Excel Hackathon?

Skill Enhancement

Personal Growth

Career Advancement

Practical Experience: An Excel Hackathon provides a hands-on environment where you can apply your theoretical knowledge to solve real-world problems. This practical experience is invaluable as it allows you to see the direct impact of your solutions.
Learn New Techniques: You’ll be exposed to advanced Excel functions, formulas, and features that you might not have used before. This could include data analysis tools, pivot tables, macros, and Power Query.
Problem-Solving: Working on complex challenges improves your analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. You’ll learn to break down problems into manageable parts and develop effective solutions.

Challenge Yourself: Stepping out of your comfort zone to tackle challenging problems helps you grow personally and professionally. You’ll learn to handle pressure and think creatively under tight deadlines.
Boost Confidence: Successfully completing a hackathon project and presenting it to judges can significantly boost your confidence. This experience can make you more comfortable with public speaking and presenting your ideas.
Resilience and Adaptability: Hackathons teach you to be resilient and adaptable, qualities that are valuable in any professional setting. You’ll learn to adjust your strategies quickly and keep moving forward despite obstacles.

Showcase Your Skills: Demonstrating your abilities in a competitive environment can catch the eye of potential employers. It’s an excellent way to highlight your skills beyond what’s listed on your resume.
Portfolio Building: Adding a hackathon project to your portfolio shows that you can apply your skills in practical scenarios. This can be a significant advantage in job interviews and applications.
Job Opportunities: Some hackathons are sponsored by companies looking to hire talent. Excelling in these events can lead to job offers or internships.

Prizes and Recognition

Awards and Prizes: Hackathons often offer attractive prizes, including cash rewards, gadgets, software licenses, and more. Winning a prize can also provide financial support and access to premium tools.
Recognition: Performing well in a hackathon gives you recognition within the community. This can enhance your credibility and reputation in the field of data analysis and Excel expertise.

Networking Opportunities

Professional Connections: Hackathons attract a diverse group of participants, including students, professionals, and industry experts. This is a great chance to expand your professional network.
Collaborative Experience: Team-based challenges foster collaboration. You’ll learn to work with others, share knowledge, and leverage each other’s strengths to create a better solution.

Fun and Excitement

Engaging Experience: The dynamic atmosphere of a hackathon is exciting and engaging. The energy and enthusiasm of participants create a vibrant environment that can be both enjoyable and inspiring.
Sense of Achievement: Completing the challenges and presenting your solution provides a great sense of achievement. The recognition and feedback from judges and peers add to this fulfilling experience.

Registration Opens

Date TBA

Registration Closes

Date TBA

NOTE: Spots are limited at each campus. If you register, but your schedule is changed and can no longer attend, please email financelab@rotman.utoronto.ca to cancel your registration.

Registration and Check-In:

Arrival Time: Participants should arrive early to check in and get settled.
Registration Desk: Check-in at the registration desk to receive any necessary materials, such as badges, schedules, and swag.

Working Session:

Setup Workspace: Find a comfortable spot in the lab.

Opening Ceremony:

Welcome Speech: Organizers will introduce the event, outline the agenda, and provide important announcements.
Introduction to Challenges: Details of the challenges or problem statements will be revealed. This is your first look at what you’ll be working on.

Challenge Briefing

Detailed Explanation: Organizers or mentors will provide a detailed briefing on the challenges, including any specific rules or constraints.
Q&A Session: Opportunity to ask questions and clarify doubts about the challenges.

Submission:

Deadline: Adhere to the submission deadline for your Excel work.
Format: Ensure your submission meets the required format, whether it’s an Excel file, or another specified format

Closing Ceremony:

Awards: Announcement of winners and prize distribution.
Thank You Notes: Closing remarks and acknowledgements from the organizers.
Networking: Final opportunity to network with other participants, mentors, and judges.

November 28th, 2024

1:00 pm - 5:30 pm EST

March 19th, 2025

1:00 pm - 5:30 pm EST

St. George Campus

BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab

Rotman School of Management

Room 290, North Building

105 St. George St.

Toronto, ON M5S 3E6

Canada

Mississauga Campus

Li Koon Chun Finance Learning Centre

Innovation Complex

Room L1245, Lower Level
University of Toronto Mississauga
3359 Mississauga Road
Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6

Canada

Scarborough Campus

The BRIDGE Finance and Data Lab

Instructional Centre

Room IC 108

University of Toronto Scarborough

1095 Military Trail

Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4

Canada

The competition is a professional business competition, so participants are expected to dress in business casual or business formal attire.

Upon completion of this competition, students may claim for CCR recognition.

The Co-Curricular Record (CCR) is designed to help students find opportunities at U of T beyond the classroom and to have their skills and experiences captured on an official document. For more details about this CCR position, CLICK HERE.

Benefits of Co-Curricular Record (CCR) Recognition:

Highlight and reflect on the skills you’ve gained
Get engaged in a variety of workshops and track your progress.
Record your participation on an official university document.
Connect with your CCR community, build your network, and enhance your resume.

If you are ready, to claim your CCR, CLICK HERE.

Competition participants are responsible for following health and safety measures where applicable. Individuals should report health and safety concerns to the competition committee via email at financelab[at]rotman.utoronto.ca, who will promptly review, assess and implement measures to address the concern where appropriate.

Measure to reduce risk of exposure:

- Individuals who are sick or who have COVID-19-related symptoms should stay home/hotel/accommodation.
- Isolate until there is no fever and symptoms improve for 24 hours (48 hours for gastrointestinal symptoms), regardless of testing results or no testing.
- Refer to: Ontario COVID-19 Self-Assessment and Procedures in the Event of a Confirmed Case and/or COVID-19 Symptoms.
- Avoid touching your face, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Practice proper respiratory etiquette, such as sneezing and coughing into your elbow.
- Face masks are encouraged, and we ask everyone always to respect the decisions of others, their comfort levels, and their health needs.

Equity and Human Rights

The purposes of this statement are to express the University’s values regarding equity and diversity, and relate these to the institution’s unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

At the University of Toronto, we strive to be an equitable and inclusive community, rich with diversity, protecting the human rights of all persons, and based upon understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of every person. We seek to ensure to the greatest extent possible that all students and employees enjoy the opportunity to participate as they see fit in the full range of activities that the University offers, and to achieve their full potential as members of the University community.

Our support for equity is grounded in an institution-wide commitment to achieving a working, teaching, and learning environment that is free of discrimination and harassment as defined in the Ontario Human Rights Code. In striving to become an equitable community, we will also work to eliminate, reduce or mitigate the adverse effects of any barriers to full participation in University life that we find, including physical, environmental, attitudinal, communication or technological.

Diversity and Inclusiveness

Our teaching, scholarship, and other activities take place in the context of a highly diverse society. Reflecting the intersectionality in our community is uniquely valuable to Rotman, as it contributes to the diversification of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives that enrich our teaching, scholarship, and research activities. We will proactively seek to increase inclusion and feelings of belonging among our community members, with an aim to having a student body, teaching and administrative staff that mirror the diversity of qualified applicants. For more information, please click here.

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