Kansas State University

MANHATTAN — A team of three personal financial planning students from Kansas State University earned second place at the recent national Industry Issues competition.

Team members are Mariah Bausch, junior, Hoyt; Andy Rao, master's student, Overland Park; and Cole Foster, junior, Tecumseh. They earned $3,000 in scholarships for the personal financial planning program, which is offered in the School of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University's College of Human Ecology.

Their coaches were Stuart Heckman and Martin Seay, assistant professors of family studies and human services.

The competition, sponsored by the Foundation for Financial Service Professionals, was at the organization's Arizona Institute in Phoenix. The team submitted a paper on "Rapid rise: Growth potential and changing business practices of U.S. financial services professions." For the paper, the students researched and analyzed three professional career paths, the skills needed to be successful in those careers and the value of peer relationships.

The three teams with the best manuscripts were invited to present at the competition final.

"We are really proud of this team's hard work and the manner in which it represented K-State in this national competition," Heckman said. "This was our first time participating in this competition so the team's performance was outstanding and the experience provided the students with national exposure to professionals in our field. We are looking forward to next year's competition."