Five Howard University students have earned a $1 million grant for their school after winning the fifth annual Goldman Sachs Market Madness competition, as part of its HBCU Possibilities Program, according to an announcement posted on the university’s website.
As AFROTECH previously reported, Spelman College won in 2024.
The winners of the 2025 Market Madness competition, Keyla Arrechea, Jordan Atkins, Aaron Harrison, Kadijah Mansaray, and Jada Rabun, were among the Howard students in the semester-long program, which is designed to provide, immersive introduction to key financial concepts and their real-world applications, as Goldman Sachs’ website states.
During the competition, the Howard team competed against students from 11 other HBCUs. Most of the team had not yet completed their first semester of college when the program began, yet they advanced through two virtual rounds and ultimately delivered their final pitch live at Goldman Sachs’ New York headquarters.
They were tasked with crafting a revenue growth strategy for Amer Sports, a global sportswear company that generated $5.2 billion in revenue in 2024, according to the company’s website. Per the announcement, Howard’s team proposed launching adaptive athletic wear through the company’s Arc’teryx brand, with a rollout at Dick’s Sporting Goods ahead of the 2026 Paralympic Games. Their pitch, focused on accessibility and inclusion, was the only product-based proposal in a field dominated by acquisition strategies.
Their business plan included market research, financial forecasting, ROI modeling, and SWOT analysis, reflecting the analytical rigor some of them developed through the Howard University School of Business, as the announcement mentions. Most of the team is enrolled in the school’s 21st Century Advantage Program, which emphasizes mentorship, collaboration, and real-world case studies.
All five students also bring leadership and service into their broader campus roles. According to the announcement, Mansaray runs a nonprofit for marginalized youth. Rabun participates in Collegiate 100. Atkins is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Arrechea mentors fellow students in business strategy, and Harrison has focused on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities.
With upcoming internships at Nvidia, Blackstone, and aspirations across investment banking, private equity, and tech, the students’ success highlights the critical role HBCUs play in shaping the next generation of Black innovators and leaders in business.
