Today, I attended the first general meeting of the Finance and Economics Society. During this meeting, the president, Isabel, and other key speakers introduced the FES as a gateway to higher level networking and professionalism. The club is open to anyone with a general interest in finance, even without the thorough knowledge of the field. Around a hundred students attended this meeting. Isabel and other speakers had emphasized the club as a means of further solidifying ones interest in finance, and applying that interest into numerous projects and activities. As a part of this club, one would engage in numerous activities geared towards finance. For example, one example project they described entailed doing a full analysis on the company Kohl’s, from analyzing their revenue and activity per quarter to other aspects. The real-life application that this club entails truly interested me. The FES also has this amazing mentorship program wherein 8 students are selected for personalized guidance and mentorship. I believe this program lasts for 6-8 weeks, and I am very inclined towards applying. The FES also offers invaluable professional guidance and advice, such as perfecting resumes.
At the end of the presentation, one of the presenters incited a team building activity that she once partook in at a networking activity at Goldman Sachs. The objective of this activity was to acquaint yourself with 9 other students (for a total of 10 per group), and to build the largest tower of spaghetti with a marshmallow on top. Resources were quite limited, as each group had roughly 8 pieces of spaghetti and a measly piece of tape, and of course the marshmallow. This activity truly bound my team and I together, as we each were engaged in a common activity and goal. Though we didn’t win the contest, were acquainted with each other very well and created new lasting friendships.
The FES has a vast network of alumni who are now working at top financial institutions, such as JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. What’s best about this is the fact that these alumni still stick close to the club, and offer their guidance regarding their professional careers. This invaluable network of individuals, along with the student body of the club, truly embody the values of the club: comradery and professional development. Despite working full time, many of these alumni still find the time to get together with club members for lunch and coffee and strive to help in any way they can. I hope to one day be able to contribute in a similar way.
