Bright Futures in Sight
UIS Hosts Its Fifth Annual Financial Horizons Conference
UC San Diego’s Undergraduate Investment Society (UIS) hosted the Fifth Annual Financial Horizons Conference on February 27, 2010. Despite a downpour, the conference attracted more than 350 students, plus two dozen financial professionals from Southern California. This conference is the largest financial event held at UC San Diego.
The half-day conference featured prominent executives, hands-on workshops, and networking sessions with financial professionals and UC San Diego alumni. Speakers represented Brandes Investment Partners and the Brandes Institute, Ten Asset Management, Dodge & Cox Funds, Frontier Market Asset Management, Coastwise Capital Group, and Wells Fargo Private Banking. Attendees listened to sessions on a wide range of finance-related topics, including the financial crisis, private banking, and portfolio management. Students also had the opportunity to mingle with CEOs, CPAs, CFAs, lawyers, bankers, and portfolio managers. The highlight of the conference, according to attendees, was the insight shared by these professionals on how to break into the world of finance and investing.
Professionals Shared Some Sage Advice
Harold Buchanan, the former COO of Enron North America and currently the CEO at CE2 Capital Partners, was the morning keynote speaker. Mr. Buchanan led a provocative discussion on the business ethics of Enron and furthered students’ understanding of the Enron scandal. His discussion challenged students to question the procedure and handling of the Enron executives’ trial, especially in light of ambiguous accounting guidelines and the uncertainty of business success in highly competitive markets.
The afternoon began with keynote speaker Mike Alfred, cofounder and CEO of BrightScope, which is a 401(k) plan-rating agency. Mr. Alfred inspired listeners with his enthusiastic entrepreneurial spirit by presenting the timeline of his successful career, modeling a step-by-step methodology in his presentation. His charm and character inspired everyone to take charge of their lives and to allow nothing to prevent the pursuit of dreams and happiness. He commented on the heinous acts of some of the more popular rating agencies and the on the future characteristics of Wall Street.
Professional Networking through Workshops
During workshops, students learned about obtaining the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential (the gold standard for investment managers), the unique features of hedge funds, steps in starting a career in finance, and the behavioral and psychological aspects of investing. Perhaps the most popular event was the alumni panel featuring four recent UC San Diego graduates who discussed their jobs.
Success of this conference was largely supported by Intuit, the UC San Diego Department of Economics, GEICO, Stalla, and the UCLA Master of Financial Engineering program. Individuals who planned and supervised the conference included UIS faculty advisor Professor Michael Willoughby, a group of dedicated current UIS officers—especially copresidents Michael Tam and Sneha Somasekar—and UIS alumni, including former UIS presidents Carrie Gan (2007–08) and Michael Chan (2008–09).
This annual conference provides a unique opportunity for UC San Diego undergraduates to expand their financial knowledge and to explore their career opportunities. It draws attention to the growing number of UCSD students who are serious about a career in finance and also allows professionals to connect with like-minded individuals as well as with the next generation of financial leaders. In the past, the UIS Annual Conference has featured Professor Harry Markowitz and Ken Fisher, CEO of Fisher Investments (and author of five best-selling books). Next year’s conference is planned for the last Saturday in February.
About UIS
The Undergraduate Investment Society is the largest student leadership organization on the UC San Diego campus. Ann Ko founded the organization in 2003 because she wanted to help undergraduates understand how to start careers in finance. In just seven years, it has surpassed Ms. Ko’s expectations. Today, it is a diverse organization committed to empowering our alumni with financial literacy. We provide career-oriented education through financial seminars, networking events, and luncheons with financial executives from local companies. UIS facilitates internships and promotes long-term relationships with potential employers by bringing professionals to UC San Diego as mentors and advisors. UIS meetings are held on alternate Wednesday evenings and are announced on the organization’s Web page.
In addition to providing services for students, UIS also gives students an opportunity to gain leadership skills. UIS officers plan, organize, and manage UIS meetings and events, especially the annual conference. There is no substitute for hands-on experience, and UIS is managed exclusively by students who make all UIS decisions and who are responsible and accountable for UIS activities.