Marco Iachini, and Yuan “Scotty” Hou, two members of the Global Master of Finance cohort, sum up their first semester in St. Louis before heading to Singapore Management University for the next two semesters in this blog post.
The first summer term in St. Louis was a challenging but successful experience. The program’s participation increased from the previous year, and brought together a more diverse group of students, including several students with non-finance backgrounds.
The coursework was very intensive and pushed the group to break conventional thought process, and begin analyzing cases and projects in a very dynamic, highly analytical way. The diverse backgrounds of the students contributed to build a more global approach to problem solving. The pace was fast and we put in many hours of work but the result was a successful classroom environment and an exponential growth curve for every student’s analytical skills in fields of valuation, investment theory and derivative securities.
Besides the intensive course schedule, the school also organized many extra-curricular events throughout the first semester: Joining the local community to prepare for the 4th of July celebration, a visit to the Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis, the City Museum, and President Obama’s favorite pizza place, Pi on the Loop! Watching the Cardinals on a sunny afternoon and sharing the excitement of local fans, we gained a deeper appreciation of the American way of life through these experiences, and bonded with each other in the process. Engaging in these extra-curricular activities also provided a much needed respite for the students who were often preoccupied with the heavy workload.
The Global Master of Finance cohort will return to St. Louis next summer for their final semester before graduating in August. Good luck and safe travels!
