If anybody has any qualms about making a trek to visit firms, be assured that it’s worth it! I left New York after day two with a better understanding of the financial industry, investment best practices, what employers are looking for, and most importantly, what we could offer with the skills we’re learning in the Master of Science in Quantitative Finance (MSFQ) program.
This year’s annual MSFQ Trek to Boston and New York involved visits to Man Numeric, Wellington, Fidelity, DE Shaw, Point72, and PIMCO. These firms represent some of the top names in the mutual fund and hedge fund industry, and are the result of the Weston Career Center’s work in cultivating industry relationships—to the benefit of those in the MSFQ program.
It was a busy two-day trip. Each morning we started at 9 a.m., going full throttle until 4 p.m. When we were not learning about the different asset management firms and their investment strategies, we enjoyed connecting with our classmates. As we shuffled from meeting to meeting, we talked to directors, recruiters, portfolio managers, analysts, and WashU alumni. Each of the firms was gracious with their time and answered questions generously. DE Shaw even surprised us with hoodies!
Since our programs ended on Friday, we got part of the weekend to tour New York as well!
Special thanks again go to the Weston Career Center, especially to Molly Sonderman for handling logistics, and to Greg Hutchings for accompanying the 17 students who went!
Guest Blogger: Stefan Yu, MSFQ candidate and President of the Specialized Masters Program Council
