Today we started off with a bang! Former Congressman Michael Oxley (R-OH) himself, of the Sarbanes Oxley Act, stopped by to talk with us about his role as a financial reformer, his life, and his career, as well as answer all of our many questions. We were intrigued to learn about his previous life as an FBI special agent as well!

Next we departed for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Being at the headquarters of one of the most powerful financial institutions in the world was truly inspiring. Moreover, it added an additional perspective to finance outside of the traditional financial industry.

We then departed to Georgetown for lunch. The weather was good, the Potomac was scenic, and the food was delicious!

In the afternoon, we were fortunate to hear from Sarah Ellerman from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to illustrate the function and responsibility of the agency, and the recent development of trade agreements with other countries or regions. Specifically, she explained the reasons for initiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with 11 other countries and answered questions relating to this issue. She also addressed her opinion on other trade agreements such as the Trade & Investment Framework Agreements and Trade in Services Agreement.

Later, Joanna Pearl from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) helped us understand the CFPB and the Office of Enforcement. Ms. Pearl talked about the mission of the agency and their unique integrated approach to implementing regulations. In addition, she gave us several examples of how CFBP helps consumers harmed by illegal practices.

Guest bloggers: Freddy Shen, Solomon Tsegaye, Lin Shuo (GMF 2015)

This is the third in a series of 10 blogs chronicling the experiences of 31 Global Master of Finance (GMF) dual degree students during their two week-long immersion course in Washington, DC and New York. Each blog will be written by a small subset of students during their experience.