Finance students get pros’ advice

The Finance and Investment Student’s Association (FISA) held its annual networking cocktail party for students and faculty at the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery in the Library Building on Nov. 22.
“I hope students will get a better understanding of the road ahead,” said FISA president Omar Midani. “Many students ask me for career options and now it’s a chance for them to meet people who have already made these choices, to see the paths they took, and to choose a path of their own.”
Midani listed three major lessons he anticipated students acquiring from the event. “An understanding of why one is studying finance, how to apply that finance degree, and what the next step might be.”
Established as an opportunity for fledgling financiers to mingle with the business world, networking is seen as an integral step for ambitious students to focus their academic career and aid them in electing a professional one. Business guests included major portfolio managers, investment bankers and brokers from such institutions as the Bank of Montreal and CIBC.
Midani was one of three speakers during the evening. Dr. Jerry Tomberlin, interim Dean of the John Molson School of Business and Dr. Lorne Switzer, Chair of Finance also spoke to 130 or so guests.
“We aim to educate individuals with employable skills,” said Tomberlin as he addressed the Concordia and business audience. “We aim to produce graduates that are responsible, creative citizens.”
Tomberlin later commentated on the relevance of the party for students in various stages of university life. “Students in their last year want to take advantage of chances to meet with potential employers, and students just starting out treat it as a good time to ask themselves why they’re taking a certain course and to get ideas about the future.”
“This is a chance to change that image,” said Midani, in reference to bad press that Concordia has received in the past. “Concordia is a diverse community with different kinds of opinions and we want to show off the school.”
In reference to Concordia’s lackluster ranking in Maclean’s Magazine, Switzer pointed out that the London Financial Times included Concordia as one of their top 100 business schools in the world, a distinction which only three other Canadian universities share.
“The corporate world should see Concordia for what it really is,” said Switzer, who added he thought some of the university’s best students were present and would provide a true representation of the school.

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