Two Cal Poly Pomona students turned their market instincts into winning predictions during the College of Business Administration’s PolyPredict Stock Prediction Contest.
The challenge was simple: forecast where the S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq 100 Index would land on Sept. 15, 2025. Dozens of participants put their financial forecasting skills to the test, but two students emerged on top, Henry Cosentino and Caleb R. Silvas, earning recognition and a $1,000 prize.
Cosentino, an undergrad studying finance, real estate and law student, took a data-driven yet unconventional approach. “I figured that if I did a guess way outside of where everyone else was thinking, I’d either win or lose spectacularly,” he said. “If I was close to everyone else, it lessened my chances.”
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Henry Cosentino with Dr. Pia Gupta and Dr. Sandeep Krishnamurthy
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Outside the contest, Cosentino’s interests extend into quantitative finance and applied mathematics. Earlier this year, he and other students presented research at the American Mathematical Society’s (AMS) Special Session on Markovian and Queueing Models, exploring generalizations and connections between Markov chains.
Silvas, an undergraduate, third-generation Bronco and eCommerce entrepreneur, took a hands-on approach to learning about markets. “Nobody ever taught me about the market, but I have a high-risk tolerance,” he said. “I bought Intel stock in 2024 – initially, it went up about 15% but held on to it a bit too long to make a big profit. Still, seeing a stock I bought go up gave me confidence.”
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Silvas with Dr. Pia Gupta and Dr. Sandeep Krishnamurthy
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Currently building his online business in collectible and verified apparel, Silvas plans to pursue real estate development after graduation.
The PolyPredict competition reflects Cal Poly Pomona’s Become by Doing philosophy, combining classroom theory with real-world finance. Through contests like these, the College of Business Administration continues to cultivate innovation, analytical thinking and entrepreneurial spirit among its students. The contest was supported by the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF).
