I've just been blown away by the amount of opportunities...
...that have been basically handed to me as a member of the Finance and Securities Analysis Center.
We go on amazing trips to meet with professionals who talk to us about their work--who connect us with people in the field.
>>We sit through class, and we learn things in an academic setting.
But being able to really apply those things in a real-world setting...
...through experiential learning opportunities--working with different people in the industry...
...and getting the opportunity to actually do these things outside of a classroom setting--I think really reinforces what you learn...
...and also is going to provide us better opportunities to be more prepared to enter the job market.
>>You know, I've been exposed to corporate finance. We've valued corporations.
I've taken an investments class that has shown me how to put together portfolios.
And in addition to all of that academic knowledge, I've gotten to participate in the Emerging Market Fund.
>>We, as a group of graduate students, are allowed to manage real money and invest in emerging markets...
...and see what it's like to be an investment manager.
And not in the pure academic sense--actually with tangible dollars.
>>But being in a school environment, it's still a little bit insulated. So we get a little bit of hand holding along the way.
It's not just, "Oh you've graduated and here's a million dollars that you need to manage on your own."
>>I think that kind of exposure and that kind of hands-on learning just gives you the confidence to go out--
...and whether you are applying for jobs or talking to people in the industry or just approaching another class--
...I think it gives you the confidence to be sure of your abilities.
>>I just feel so optimistic about the future and transitioning into a career position.
My community, my team of people here, the finance director, the program director, all the professors--
...that everyone is really helping me connect with opportunities that are going to enable me to be successful.
>>They give you the tools and the opportunities to really make it "your MBA" as opposed to "you're getting an MBA from an institution."
And I'll be able to leverage that into pursuing a field I really am passionate about.
