Finance Fellows Attend Annual Networking Night

Lauren Black, class of 2019 accounting and information systems double major, writes about Finance Fellows Networking Night, held on Oct. 23, 2017, for students at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

With the competitive nature of the finance industry, what separates a good candidate from a great candidate comes down to one thing: how well they network. Around 100 students and 35 professionals passionate about finance gathered at the University of Maryland's Riggs Alumni Center for the annual Finance Fellows Networking Night. Representatives from Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Deloitte, and more networked with some of the many talented finance majors from the Smith School. The networking session began as student separated amongst 35 tables with company representatives for 10-minute networking rounds. After these timed sessions, students had the opportunity for open networking with any professional.

Susan White, clinical professor of finance and faculty director of the Finance Fellows program, gave some insight into how important fellows events are to the students within them. “Networking is a life-long skill, not just something you do to get a job and then stop,” she explained. “This is the time for students to explore their career options.” The representatives present were helpful to students as they described their roles in industries such as wealth management, investments consulting and more.

“The opportunity to network with professionals in industry at events like this one is second to none,” explained Evan Smith, a junior finance and computer science double major. Events such as this are one of the many ways fellows students can build their networks and learn about various potential careers. They were able to gain exposure to firms from new associates, to managing partners, to see their future in a firm. Tim Baker, finance and economics double major described his appreciation for fellows programs, as they have helped narrow down what area of finance he plans on going into. “It is invaluable for us as students to connect with the companies we want to work for; we have so much to learn from them before committing to a career,” Tim stated.

There are seven finance fellows programs dedicated to developing professionalism and assisting in the recruitment process.

For more information about fellows programs, visit the Smith Fellows website.