Penn State’s Ultimate Trader Challenge is back!

You may remember last year when Joe Marcus traded a pen all the way up to a Ford F250 pick-up truck. Well, the Trader Challenge is now an annual event at Penn State and any student can get in on the action.

It’s pretty simple. At the beginning of the challenge, each competitor is given a simple pen made out of recycled plastic bottles. The worth of that pen? About $1. The challenge (remember, simple does not mean easy) is to trade that pen for the most valuable item you can within the deadlines.

If you needed any incentive other than the possibility of walking away with a [basically] free truck, this year’s event is being sponsored by Ebay and the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. These sponsorships will provide weekly prizes and a grand prize for this year’s top trader.

Whichever Student Organization that has the most members participate will also win $250 to go towards their budget.

There will be a kick-off event on February 16 in the Hammond Building’s Kunkle Lounge from 5-7 p.m. and then the real excitement begins a week later on February 24 when the challenge opens. Competitors have until April 6 to, using one trade per week, to outdo last year’s truck. It’s impossible to lose this challenge. Even if you aren’t the top trader, you still get to keep the item you end up with. You can sign up for the challenge here.What do you have to lose? They even provide the pen.

If you have any questions, email pennstateUTC@gmail.com.