The LMU Department of Finance, led by chair Susan Elkinawy, has implemented a number of exciting new initiatives over the past year with more enhancements on the horizon. Here are the latest developments:
- Beginning August 1, the CBA will become a member of the Financial Times Academic Program, providing students and faculty with a unique global perspective on business, finance and economics. The program includes access to customized news feeds, virtual reading lists, international trip preparation, course prep and a full suite of learning tools.
- LMU and CFA Society Los Angeles (CFALA) formed a partnership and is offering finance students a free membership to CFALA, thanks to support from our donors. CFALA is an association of local investment professionals, consisting of portfolio managers, security analysts, investment advisors and other financial practitioners. CFALA membership benefits include events, networking opportunities, educational classes and job listings.
- The Department of Finance spearheaded a Remote Job Shadowing Program for finance students over the summer. The goal of the program is to provide a professional experience for students who do not have an internship lined up. Each student is paired with a finance professional who has volunteered to share their time and knowledge on a variety of topics, such as business model for firms; financial and regulatory challenges for firms; key tasks in job; and keys to career success. The response rate was impressive – we ended up with a surplus of volunteers for 90 students.
- The CBA assembled a Finance Targeted Affinity Council (TAC) made up of prominent finance alumni who provide guidance, advice and feedback to the LMU Department of Finance. The council was formed to better serve the needs of our finance students and ensure we are meeting the needs of their future employers.
- Thanks to a generous gift from CBA alumni, the college was able to purchase 12 Bloomberg Terminals, located in the Hannon Library and Hilton Building, and awaiting their permanent home in the CBA’s new Finance Learning Lab, currently under construction.
- The CBA is offering students the opportunity to become Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certified for free! BMC is a self-paced e-learning course that provides an interactive introduction to the financial markets and equips students with financial literacy to understand finance, investment strategy and the necessary language to interact with CFOs and other finance professionals. The course includes modules on Economic Indicators, Currencies, Fixed Income and Equities, as well as sections on Getting Started on the Terminal and Portfolio Management.
