As we approach our first meeting of the semester, students in the Fall 2024 Building Blocks class are buzzing with anticipation. For many, this will be the first opportunity where students can dive into their interests in investing, finance, and accounting. A large portion of the class is made up of students who have yet to explore their business-related major, and the anticipation is evident.
When asked why she decided to enroll in the Building Blocks class, rising sophomore Olivia Ritondo responded by saying “I have not taken any finance focused courses just yet. When it was time to pick classes for this upcoming school year, I was eager to immerse myself in the field of finance.” Many students feel the same way, a clear eagerness to learn about financial topics in their responses. Like most first-year students, my schedule was packed with general education courses and 1000-level major requirements. By the end of the year, I was looking to dive deeper into more difficult topics in classes that focused on my major. I wanted a class that would be centered around finance and accounting principles that I had never been taught before. Before the creation of the Opportunity Fund Project, a class that fit that description was only available to juniors and seniors. Students like Olivia–ones with an early eagerness to get started–would have to wait another year. However, the Building Blocks class presents an opportunity for students to begin learning earlier. Additionally, the OFP brings like-minded students together, which is another aspect of the class that is highly anticipated.
Anneliese Munter, an incoming student of the Fall 2024 Building Blocks class, says she is “looking to meet likeminded women that are interested in finance, accounting, and how to get involved in that world.” As females in a male-dominated field, a community of women who share a similar hunger for learning about investing and finance is a game changer. Many students are anticipating that this class will give them the opportunity to learn from each other and make connections, and I believe it will fulfill these hopes. The OFP provides students with a great network of people who are there to assist them. Whether it is preparing for an internship interview, or even something as simple as a question about the material, Professor Steve Wilson has equipped his students with resources to turn to. Prior to their return to campus, students in the Building Blocks class have been put in contact with mentors who work in the industry. I am very excited to work with my mentor and learn from her years of experience. A connection like this is invaluable and rare at this stage of my career, and I believe other students feel the same gratitude for such a wonderful opportunity this class has already produced.
Internships are another topic that students are hoping they will learn more about from this class. Acquiring a summer internship is a goal many students have on their agenda. With the connections and resources this class is expected to provide, the process of getting an internship will hopefully go smoother. Students expressed an awareness of how challenging it may be to gain an internship, but they are willing to put in the work and overcome setbacks. Student Stephanie Balarezo shares that she is “hoping to get an internship next summer and gain new experiences through this project.”
The Building Blocks class will surely be a new experience for many, and the eagerness to begin something new is widespread. As Chiara Persano put it, “this class is a huge learning opportunity to learn more about career path options, fundamental work skills, and more about myself as well.” Chiara’s response encapsulates the general feeling of the group: gratitude for the chance to learn more about the options available to us. For many, this class is an entry point into the field students decided to study. We could not be more excited to begin the challenging yet rewarding path that lies ahead.
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