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Frequently Asked Questions
About the Society, its members, and this website.
What is the PSU Trading Society?
The PSU Trading Society (PSTS) is a true society, not just a lecture series. It is an undergraduate organization at Penn State built around financial education, valuation, and market structure, and around the people in it. Members learn together in sessions, compete together in stock pitch competitions, network with partner firms, go to Penn State football games together, take part in THON, and keep up a members-only fantasy football league and March Madness group. Participation is the point.
Who founded the PSU Trading Society?
The Society was founded by Christopher R. Peckyno, who served as its Founder and President, while he was an undergraduate at the Smeal College of Business.
Who is Chris Peckyno?
Chris Peckyno is Christopher R. Peckyno, the Founder and President of the PSU Trading Society. He founded the Society at Penn State, led the Financials Sector of the Nittany Lion Fund, served as the first Director of Equity Analysis at Leveraged Lion Capital, and is CFO and Treasurer of the Penn State Lunar Lion Team.
When was the Society founded?
The Society was launched in 2017 after a year of organizing in 2016.
Do members need to be finance majors?
No. Members come from a range of majors and class years. Many members and alumni are marketing majors, computer science majors, math majors, and economics majors. The curriculum starts from first principles so that anyone willing to put in the work can follow it.
What does the interview process involve?
Seven steps: come to a weekly meeting or a PSTS event; meet the Founder or the Executive Board, over a coffee, on a walk, or anywhere on campus; submit an application; a first-round conversation; a behavioral interview; a technical interview drawn from the curriculum; and a decision followed by onboarding. Throughout, candidates are measured against the Society’s five core values: Curiosity, Coachability, Commitment, Competitiveness, and Courage.
How should I prepare for a finance interview?
Start with how the three financial statements connect, then learn relative and intrinsic valuation and how a DCF is built. Practise explaining one company you follow in two minutes, including the main risks. Above all, mock interview. Reading about interviews is not the same as answering questions out loud under pressure, so run full mock interviews with someone who will push back. For PSTS interviews specifically, the best preparation is to mock interview with members of the executive board, who know exactly what the Society asks and why.
Financial Accounting →Valuation →Discounted Cash Flow Analysis →
Does the Society give investment advice?
No. All Society content is educational. Nothing on this website is investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
Can I download the Society’s presentations?
Original documents are available to Society members only. Each material page includes a download button that leads to the member log in.
Who can see the Executive Board directory?
The Executive Board directory is available to Society members through the member log in.
What books and films does the Society recommend?
A reading list spanning investing, valuation, trading, behavioral finance, and Wall Street history, and a set of films and documentaries about markets and financial crises.
Did the Society take part in events beyond its sessions?
Yes. Members attended Penn State football games together, took part in THON, the student-run philanthropy benefiting Four Diamonds, networked with partner firms, and competed in stock pitch competitions across the Big Ten and beyond.
Can I join the PSTS Fantasy Football League if I am not a member?
No. The PSTS Fantasy Football League is for Society members only.
How do I join the PSTS Fantasy Football League?
Contact the league Commissioner and Society President, Chris Peckyno.
Can I join the PSTS March Madness Group if I am not a member?
No. The PSTS March Madness Group is for Society members only.
How do I join the PSTS March Madness Group?
Contact the group Commissioner and Society President, Chris Peckyno.
How do I contact the Society?
Use the Join Us page.