Executive Summary id="executive-summary"
About the Master of Science in Finance program
The Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program started in 2001 and has evolved to primarily a combination degree program for students from various University of Florida undergraduate degree programs wanting to complete both their undergraduate degree and a Master of Science in Finance degree within four years.
UF undergraduate students apply during their second year on campus and begin MSF courses in their third year. Students take graduate-level finance courses alongside MBA and other finance students, in lieu of some undergraduate degree courses. Students intern the summer after their third year with the firm they plan to return to full time after graduation. Most MSF students come from undergraduate finance, industrial and systems engineering, economics and mathematics programs.
The MSF program also serves students who want access to Ph.D. courses or a joint degree from the UF Levin College of Law.
From the Director's Desk
I hope that you are doing well.
The Master of Science in Finance program is undergoing a major curriculum upgrade. Newly hired Assistant Professor Alejandro Lopez-Lira will teach a required course in Financial Modeling where students will learn programing skills and apply the skills to solving finance problems. MSF students have historically had very strong Excel-based corporate financial modeling skills. With Professor Lopez-Lira’s course, MSF students will move to the next generation of financial modeling skills.
New elective courses build on the base of programing skills. Professor Nimalendran’s exciting new course – Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence – was well received by students this spring. Newly hired Clinical Assistant Professor Yanbin Wu’s new course – Entrepreneurship Finance – also features programing applications. Finally, Professor Baolian Wang will offer an elective course in behavioral finance. You can see below how these courses fit into our curriculum.
The finance department’s commitment to staffing new MSF program courses with new blood helps ensure that the MSF program continues to offer students an exceptional education for many years to come.
Sincerely,
David Brown
Director, Master of Science in Finance program
MSF Program Curriculum
MSF students take 32 credit hours (16 2-credit courses) of graduate level courses. Fourteen credit hours are required courses and 18 credit hours are electives.
Required Courses
- Investment Banking and Corporate Financial Modelling Part I
- Investment Banking and Corporate Financial Modelling Part 2
- Fixed Income Security Valuation
- Interest Rate Risk Management
- Asset Allocation and Investment Strategies
- Financial Modelling*
- Asset Allocation Project Course
Electives
- Special Topics in Investment Finance (taught in Capital Markets Lab)
- Equity Portfolio Strategies**
- Value Investing**
- Study in Valuation
- Venture Finance
- Special Topics in Value Investing
- Capitalism**
- Capitalism and Regulation
- Structuring and Solving Business Problems**
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Entrepreneurship Finance*
- Venture Finance
- Behavioral Finance*
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence*
- Emerging Markets Finance
- Introduction to Real Estate
- Investment Property Analysis
- Secondary Mortgage Markets
* New courses mentioned in Dr. Brown’s letter
** Specialized courses funded by the James Richardson Endowment and MSF support fund.
MSF stands among nation’s elite
Class Overview
The MSF program continues to grow the quality and diversity of its students.
Class of | Size | Average SAT | Average GPA | Diversity |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | 29 | 1420 | 3.73 | 31% |
2022 | 37 | 1449 | 3.89 | 32% |
2023 | 55 | 1452 | 3.90 | 41% |
2024 | 50 | 1442 | 3.88 | 52% |
GSIF id="gif"
Investing in the future
The Gator Student Investment Fund (GSIF) gives students a hands-on asset management experience. Students work with real capital and deploy it in value-oriented domestic equities while actively managing portfolio risk.
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Prepared for excellence
The MSF program’s academics ensure students receive the best preparation available. From their first day in the program until graduation, students learn through rigorous curriculum to ensure they’re prepared for the ever-changing world of finance.
Sophomore summer experiences
Sophomore summer experiences allow firms to retain talent for the following summer and ultimately full time, or they provide opportunities for students to have a challenging and educational experience without an intention by the firm or student to return for at least a couple years.
Capco Asset Management in Tampa is one of the many companies that provide these opportunities for sophomores in the MSF program. Grant Stanish interned at Capco and raved about the experience, even though he was part of the first class of MSF students to intern at Capco. He was tasked with big projects such as modeling training, a margin’s analysis/Shiller PE analysis, and initiation of coverage report for the media industry.
“Capco Asset Management is likely the best sophomore summer internship program through the MSF program,” Stanish said. “There are a lot of really good programs, but I think personally think Capco is the best.”
Incoming MSF Class of 2024
Rising MSF juniors are spending their summer working in sophomore summer opportunities with these companies.
- Alex. Brown, Miami
- Aries Capital, Chicago
- Bank of America, NYC
- Barings, Charlotte
- Bayshore, Tampa
- Black Knight Inc, Jacksonville
- Boxwood Partners, Richmond
- Canopy 360, Ocala
- Capco Asset Management, Tampa (2)
- Crowley Maritime, Jacksonville
- Firmo Construction, Sarasota
- Fogel Capital Management, Stuart
- Hawkeye Capital, Miami
- Houlihan Lokey, NYC
- Intuitive, Atlanta
- Hawkeye Capital, Miami
- Jefferies, NYC
- JPMorgan, Miami
- Knesset, Jerusalem
- Kinderhook, NYC
- Landmark Properties, Atlanta
- Lightning Partners, Orlando (2)
- Lorient Capital, Miami
- Mangrove Equity Partners, Tampa
- NextEra Energy, Juno Beach (2)
- NeXtGen Biologics, Gainesville (2)
- Nomora Securities, NYC
- Northrop Grumman, Melbourne
- ProduBanco, Ecuador
- RBC, NYC
- RXR Realty, NYC
- Securrency, Charlotte
- SiteRX, NYC
- The Agency at UF, Gainesville
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Made for impact
Students in the MSF program are able to learn from leaders in the finance industry. Alumni from the most recognizable firms in the country frequent the Warrington campus, spending time with MSF students and ensuring they are ready for life after graduation.
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Andrew Watts
Executive VP, CFO & Treasurer, Brown and Brown Insurance
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Jay Weinberger
Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey
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William H. Harrell, Jr
Principal & Research Analyst, Capco Asset Management
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Collin Roche
CO-CEO and Managing Director, GTCR
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Nicholas Appelo
Partner & Research Analyst, Capco Asset Management
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Miles Bakker
Vice President, Osceola Capital
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Olivia Walton
Vice President of Investor Relations, APi Group
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Jordyn Steinkritz
Associate, Osceola Capital
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Frank O. Bennett
Board Member / Investor at Magnolia Wash Holdings
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James B. Darnell
Managing Partner, KLH Capital
$25,000+
- Joseph K. & Jamibeth Todd
$10,000 - $24,999
- Robert J. & Deana M. Cousin
- Robert O. Fabrize
- Saul Goodman
- Thomas A. III & Zandra P. Horkan
- Ben A. & Sheila S. Plotkin
- Jeffrey S. Rawson
$5,000 - $9,999
- W. Bryan* & Erin G. Adams
- Daniel L. & Lindsay R. Beiley
- Russell W. Carpenter
- Sean & Amy Casterline
- Marta Z. Cotton
- Steven B.* & Kimberly B. DeRose
- Steven M. & Natalie E. Raney
- Laurence R. Smith & Margaret Saba-Smith
- Charles W. & Sylvia E. Uhrig
$2,000 - $4,999
- Anonymous
- Robert C.* & Kelly M. Arditi
- Roy R. & Gayle S. Dickson
- Desi A. DiPierro*
- James G. Moorman
- Matthew J. Steffes
$500 - $1,999
- Anonymous (2)
- Robert G. & Catherine C. Abood
- Andrew Amend*
- Bradley J. Andersen*
- Dominique N. Angione*
- Randy & Sheryl E. Appleyard
- Brennan A.* & Emily E. Bubp
- Andrew N. Cappello Jr.*
- Thomas J.* & Michelle L. Carlson
- Avi S. Dahan*
- Carleena Fiorenza*
- Francisco J. Fornell*
- Brett R. Gasaway*
- Tansel S. Ismail*
- Dillon L. Knox*
- Chandler R. Luger*
- Dennis M. McCarthy*
- Aindrea Davis-Mesa*
- Kevin A. Mesmer*
- Daniel E. Milstein*
- Brent M. Penter*
- Kendall S. Ruskin*
- Mark J. Ruskin*
- Nicholas J. Sorenson*
- Brenden Vickers*
- Olivia J. Walton*
- Andrew S.* & Melissa M. Winner
- Haiyan Wu* & Zhiwen Tang
$1 - $499
- Michael A. Ennis*
- Chuck & Kris Gaspari
- Ronald S. Heinkel II*
- Jeffrey S. Masse*
- Christopher M. North*
- David A. Pinsky*
- Alfredo A. Ramos*
- Jesse I. Rosenblum*
- Arley J. Ruskin*
- Daniel S.* & Laura G. Sanborn
- Adam M.* & Emily D. Schiff
- Mitchell J. Zitsbank*
*MSF Alumni
Corporate Support
- Bloomberg L.P.
Impact id="impact"
Setting the bar
The impact of the MSF program is shown through the strong student outcomes. Students begin rigorous preparation from their first day on campus to stand out during their internships and earn a full-time position at graduation.
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Daniel Abood
Intuitive Surgical, Atlanta
Dr. Durant’s course, Structuring and Solving Business Problems, provided me with valuable frameworks and methods to solve complex business problems. This course was very enjoyable and valuable, as he introduced problem-solving methods through the lens we will see in our careers and our lives. I have already started to realize the value of the problem-solving skillset that he taught in the workplace and feel better equipped to make challenging decisions in my future. I am grateful to have taken Dr. Durant’s course; it was a unique and extremely valuable part of my graduate education.
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Sean-Paul Adams
Raymond James, St. Petersburg
I believe admittance to the MSF program fundamentally changed my college and professional experience – Dr. Brown and Mrs. Herring take a profound interest in the personal growth and development of every candidate in the program. The MSF program opened the door to countless opportunities for me: full time job placement, internships, education, and training. Mrs. Herring provided dedicated instruction and assistance throughout every step of the job application process. I owe my current 3-year job here locally in Gainesville, as well as full time placement to her direct assistance and mentorship.
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Carl (CJ) Baab
Beyond 20, Washington D.C.
The technical skills and industry knowledge provided by the experienced professors in the MSF program have proven invaluable in my career. Wonderful instructors like Drs. Brown and Parrino teach truly engaging classes as they tell hilarious stories while challenging their students intellectually. I am forever grateful for my time in the program and the opportunities for personal growth that it has provided.
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Ryan Bell
Deutsche Bank, Jacksonville
My internship program at Deutsche Bank required us to present a final project. Thanks to Dr. Brown’s junior fall courses, I felt more than prepared to tackle this project. Using what I learned, I was able to put together a sound fixed income portfolio and answer tough questions asked by Deutsche Bank higher-ups. Due to my performance during my internship rotations and the execution of my final project, I secured a full-time offer at Deutsche Bank, where I will be starting my career this summer.
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Dhruvi Contractor
JP Morgan, Atlanta
Joining EFE my freshman fall helped me grow professionally and personally. EFE allowed me to build upon my financial knowledge by exposing me to different roles and firms, which ultimately led me to decide where I wanted to work within the finance industry. By having access to the knowledge of older students and alumni I was given structural insight prior to my junior year internship. From learning how to interact with professionals in the industry to how to prepare for recruiting events and interviews, the EFE program placed me in a stellar position to succeed professionally. The best part of the program is being able to watch yourself grow over the years and pay it forward as a mentor to the underclassmen during your junior and senior year. I am thankful to have been apart of the EFE program since the beginning of my college career.
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Michael Ennis
Starwood Property Trust, Miami Beach
When considering real estate as a prospective career path, one may initially think of a role working as a real estate agent or broker. However, the truth is that real estate is an incredibly broad industry, with a myriad of important roles, each requiring different skillsets. These roles include buy-side roles such as those in private equity or real estate development and sell-side roles in disciplines such as investment sales and debt/equity placement (i.e., structured finance). Other areas include real estate investment banking, research, property management, commercial lending, a front-office role at a real estate investment trust, among many others. There is a potential career path for every kind of person. I was initially drawn to real estate as a career path for several reasons. First, real estate is a meritocratic industry wherein the most successful people are the ones who add the most value, learn as much as they can about all the requisite disciplines (e.g., financial analysis, sales, deal structuring, capital markets knowledge, etc.), and can consistently bring in new business. Second, I was attracted to real estate because of how a real estate operator can tangibly add value to a particular real estate asset, whether via physical renovations or financial methods including increasing below-market rents, reducing costs, and improving the property’s capital structure. Finally, one thing I was told that always stuck with me was, “Everyone I know with true wealth either made their money in real estate, or put their money in real estate.” For these reasons and more, I elected to pursue commercial real estate. Although my career interests lay in commercial real estate finance, I chose to pursue the Master of Science in Finance (“MSF”) program at UF to gain a solid foundation in financial analysis, how to think thoughtfully about the capital markets (which play an important role as real estate becomes increasingly institutionalized), and how to creatively structure deals regardless of asset type. In this sense, Dr. Brown’s fixed income courses and Dr. Parrino’s M&A course were tremendously helpful. I also took care to enroll in every real estate elective that the MSF program offered, utilize the resources at the Bergstrom Real Estate Center, and network with as many industry folks as I could, both within the MSF program and with any real estate professionals who would offer their time to me. Regarding extracurriculars, I joined the UF Real Estate Society during my freshman year and was elected to the Executive Board and have continued to serve on the board since 2019. During Summer 2020, I joined the Collegiate Real Estate Network and completed their Summer Series offered in lieu of an internship; I credit the time I spent that summer with building the technical foundation on which I currently stand. Professionally, my continual education in and outside the classroom began to bear fruit over the last 18 months. During Fall 2020, I interned part-time with The Collier Companies and learned about the multifamily development process under an organization that was attempting to 2x their AUM over the next ten years. In Summer 2021, I interned with JLL in their Miami Capital Markets group, where I studied underneath the industrial investment sales group and the debt/equity placement platforms. Finally, I accepted an offer to begin my career with Starwood Property Trust as a Rotational Analyst following graduation. I am convinced that my success to date is directly attributable to the natural intersection between Finance and Real Estate.
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Alexa Entringer
ConnectWise, Tampa
From interactive projects to devoted professors in the MSF curriculum, I was able to far exceed expectations at my junior summer internship. Utilizing the Bloomberg terminals, incorporating advanced datasets to explore investment opportunities, executing intricate valuation models, etc. deepened my skillset to a level which impressed firm leaders. I am truly thankful for the program and credit MSF resources for my success in industry thus far.
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Tatiana Fabian
HCR Partners, Stamford
Thinking back on my experiences in the MSF program, the Finance Professional Speaker Series has been one of the most memorable and important parts of my journey as a student. The MSF program’s Speaker Series allows students to hear from finance professionals across disciplines as early as their freshman year, and helps students determine what finance careers and study areas within finance interest them most. As a student who did not come into the University of Florida as a Finance major, the MSF program’s Finance Professional Speaker Series was one of the first and most significant ways that I gained exposure to the program and to the finance field overall. I valued my time in the early years of my studies at UF when I could spend a few hours listening to a speaker on a Friday afternoon and come out with a better picture of what I wanted in a finance career. The Finance Professional Speaker Series is also a major point of connection for students across years in the MSF program and between current students and UF alumni. In my freshman and sophomore years, attending Financial Speaker Series and seeing such strong participation from older students affirmed to me the value that upperclassmen placed on the program and gave me an opportunity to connect with my peers. The time spent discussing with older students about their time in MSF before and hearing the speakers’ messages helped me to gain an understanding not only of the speakers’ career paths but also of the paths I could take with my own education during my time here at UF.Speaker Series is something that I value greatly and view as one of the highlights of my time in the MSF program. The thought and effort put into bringing interesting and unique speakers by the directors of the MSF program is unmatched. Hearing passionate speakers discuss their favorite parts of their careers and case studies from their professional experiences heightened my interest in finance and greatly enhanced my experience as an MSF student overall.
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Michael Fruit
Truist Securities, Atlanta
COVID brought many challenges to the classroom, however, with the hard work from the faculty and strong effort among students learning continued seamlessly. The faculty remained flexible by constantly adapting their lesson plans to meet the needs of the current environment. Education could not have continued as well as it did without the extra efforts put forth from the faculty and students.
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Nicholas Garas
RBC Capital Markets, NYC
I served on the executive board of the UF Men’s Club soccer team for two years and played on the team in all four years of college. As a player on the team and member of the board, I had the opportunity to meet nearly 100 players throughout my time. Serving on this board was a terrific experience for a variety of reasons. Being involved in an organization separate from academics really expanded the network of people that I knew.
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Uri Goldenberg
self-employed
The MSF program helped me shape the way I view finance and business. I am grateful not only for graduating as a more financially savvy business professional but also for the opportunity to connect to both my pears and professors as I start my post-graduation journey. These connections will follow me till the rest of my career, and I am sure that will assist me in one-way or another.
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Makayla Ho
Evercore, NYC
Being a member of The Founders Fund has, by far, been the highlight of my experience while at UF. The skills and relationships I developed through the Fund have been instrumental in helping me achieve success in both my professional and personal life. Learning how to construct a stock pitch and participating in lively market discussions helped cultivate my passion for investing and solidify my decision to pursue a career in finance. My experience in the Fund allowed me to excel throughout the recruitment process as well as during every internship I’ve completed. The friendships that I’ve built with not just older students but also younger ones have also been incredibly meaningful to me. Members of The Founders Fund have become my second family while at UF. These relationships are ones that will last a lifetime. I feel personally invested in the future of all Fund members, and I cannot wait to see the success that future generations will bring. The Founders Fund enabled me to thrive in my career, and I will forever be grateful for the experience.
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Gaston Jara
Piper Sandler, Minneapolis
Being a co-president in Diversity in Banking & Securities (DBS), I can give back to those who are in a position I saw myself in a couple of years ago before I knew what Investment Banking was. DBS is open to students of all backgrounds who are interested in promoting diversity on Wall Street, so we have created an ambitious yet inclusive community and network. We share different internship and scholarship opportunities amongst each other to prosper together. I am happy to be able to give young Gators at UF the necessary resources to land an internship and secure the return offer in their desired career path. I’m glad I can leave UF knowing that I was able to make a difference.
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Jonathan Kang
Evercore, NYC
Being involved with the Gator Student Investment Fund for the past four years has been one of the most valuable and rewarding experiences I have had. During my time as an analyst, I was incredibly fortunate to be mentored by some of the brightest individuals I have ever met. The support of the students in GSIF gave me, a freshman eager to learn, a tremendous platform to grow both technically and personally. Those same students were also there to guide me every step of the way through a seemingly endless road of difficult career and life decisions. When I became a Portfolio Manager, I realized my experience was not an anomaly. Instead, it was a result of the incredible work my predecessors had done to ingrain an ethos of compassion, knowledge, and approachability within the culture of the fund. As I graduate, I take great comfort in knowing that a decade from now, GSIF will continue to transform the lives of its members the same way it transformed mine.
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Vinayak Kawatra
RBC Capital Markets, NYC
The MSF program helped me grow greatly on both professional and personal levels. A major reason for that is the culture of older students who are willing to mentor the younger ones, something I took advantage of when I began interviewing for internships my sophomore year. Once I officially joined MSF, I wanted to make sure that I gave back in the same way older students had to me. It seemed natural to start offering advice to younger students in EFE. By talking through my experiences in choosing a career path or mock interviewing, I felt that I was able to help EFE students through the same issues I faced when I was in their shoes. I greatly enjoyed giving back to the MSF program through this and am looking forward to seeing where the younger students I mentored end up.
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Christian Kechriotis
Ernst & Young Consulting, NYC
In my final semester of the MSF program I had the opportunity to take Dr. Brask’s course, Equity Portfolio Strategy, which opened my eyes to the world of asset and wealth management. Dr. Brask made the course interactive and low stress, and he brought to class examples from his unique and extensive experience in the industry. Every class Dr. Brask presented firsthand accounts of dynamics in the asset and wealth management industry including, strategies and pitfalls of his own, asset management theories, and he answered questions outside the scope of the course. Dr. Brask gave us an expert account on the equity strategies that manage much of the worlds money, a perspective that is extremely rare to come by. Dr. Brask is truly passionate about the material and fostering knowledge in his students, taking his course is an opportunity the MSF students are very lucky to have.
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Amelia Levitt
Citi Private Bank, NYC
The MSF Program has provided me and my classmates exceptional education and career related opportunities that would not have been possible without the support of our numerous donors. The small class sizes, multiple Bloomberg terminals, and unique selection of courses are unique to the MSF Program. These resources have developed our skills, leading us to obtain coveted internships and full time placements. Thank you, to all the donors, for your investment. Your support is greatly appreciated.
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Johnathan McCary
Raymond James, St. Petersburg
Through my involvement with GSIF as an analyst, I gained early exposure to financial modeling and value investing philosophies that developed my technical knowledge before I encountered core finance courses. As healthcare sector leader, I managed a small team and learned the importance of guiding those you oversee while also leaving enough freedom for them to grow. As portfolio manager, I had the privilege of training two new analyst classes, which were largely composed of aspiring MSF students. I also implemented portfolio management tools learned throughout courses offered in the MSF program. While these experiences were invaluable to me as a learning opportunity and preparatory exercise for my post-graduate position in equity research, perhaps the best parts of GSIF are its mission and its members. I am grateful to have been a part of our fund’s contributions to the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship and to have built what I am hopeful will be a lifelong network of friends.
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Charles (Wade) McCrea
Credit Suisse, NYC
During my time at the University of Florida, I have had many opportunities to grow professionally and personally. A significant number of these opportunities came through the MSF program. The MSF program has helped me build a solid foundation in finance that has positioned me well for a career in the financial services industry. Furthermore, the MSF program has provided me with a network of highly motivated professionals, many of whom I now call friends and mentors. Looking back on my time at the University of Florida, I will always be thankful for my experience in the MSF program.
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Haryshwa Murugappan
Wells Fargo Securities, NYC
From sharing knowledge on various roles in finance to spending countless hours doing interview preparation, I sincerely appreciate them sharing their advice every step of the way. Older students broke down the lengthy interview process and provided us with the guidance and structure needed to earn our internship offers. Throughout my time at UF, I have been inspired by the MSF Program’s camaraderie and the amount of opportunities Mrs. Herring and Dr. Brown have created for us to interact with older students and alumni. It would have been extremely difficult to navigate this process without the guidance of older students, and I am incredibly thankful for the internship and full time-opportunity that was made possible by the resources of the MSF program.
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Aidan Muruve
KPMG, NYC
After graduating high school, I knew I wanted to purse a technical career path. As a result, I knew I wanted to go into engineering. However, I have always had a strong passion for the business industry. Therefore, I chose to pursue a major in industrial and systems engineering as the detailed topics covered in this degree are highly transferable to a business setting. As my engineering coursework progressed, I started to grow an interest in how the engineering concepts can be applied to a financial environment. As a result, I chose to pursue the Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program at the University of Florida. A diverse background in both engineering and finance provides a dual threat (technical and financial) understanding of a company. This diverse background significantly helped me during my recruiting cycle. As I was pursuing a career within consulting, a unique and diversified background is what employers consistently look for. As a result, I landed an associate position at KPMG within their CIO Advisory practice. Within this practice, I will be able to utilize the skillset that I have obtained from my time as an engineering undergrad and as a member of the MSF program at the University of Florida to succeed and excel in my future role.
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Samuel Nunner
Truist, Atlanta
Dr. Parrino’s Investment Banking and Corporate Financial Modeling course was fundamental in my success during my junior summer internship in Truist Securities investment banking division. Dr. Parrino structures this class as an analyst training program that covers various complex financial topics that an investment banking analyst will use every day on the job. The class builds on each topic to finish with a final project where we team up to analyze a current M&A transaction. This final project directly mirrored many of the tasks I was given during my internship and gave me the tools to be an effective summer analyst.
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Kishan Patel
Raymond James, St. Petersburg
Donors’ commitment to the University of Florida and the MSF program has provided my classmates and I with the finest resources used by professionals in the industry. I, along with my classmates, feel eternally grateful to have experienced one of the best financial educations in the world in my home state of Florida. The top quality of education, made possible through your support of the MSF program and its students, will continue to attract the brightest talent out of Florida and across the country.
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Katherine Puccio
BCG, Denver
MSF gave me the opportunity to place in a Big Three consulting firm and join my first-choice office in Denver. The firm I joined rarely recruits from state schools, as shown from the other interns in my class. Out of the nine interns in my office, there was one from Princeton, one from Yale, two from Harvard, and one from Columbia. The rest of the interns came from schools near the office, so they had networked with executives throughout their college experience; that office had never even seen my name until my decision-round interview. Being in the MSF allowed me to break into my dream job in my dream city despite not having any connections.
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Patrick Schreiber
Macquarie, NYC
The MSF program put me in an amazing position to succeed in finding a critical junior summer internship. After an introduction from Mrs. Herring, alumni of the MSF program were more than happy to connect for networking calls and aid in interview preparation. The vast alumni network of MSF helped me place an internship and have experienced mentors on day one of my junior summer internship. Without the MSF program, navigating networking and interviewing would have been much more challenging.
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Max Seltzer
Stifel, NYC
MSF presented me with a unique opportunity to network with extremely knowledgeable and successful individuals as well as build a foundation that allowed me to excel in my internship and secure a job offer. Mrs. Herring, Dr. Brown, and all of my professors have been fundamental throughout the journey and I am extremely grateful for the amazing experience both UF and the MSF program brought me.
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Jade Starkey
Raymond James, St. Petersburg
Professor Canon Coleman’s class, Value Investing, was an enriching educational experience and one of my favorite MSF classes. I enjoyed learning about the techniques Professor Coleman used while he worked at Invesco on different value fund management teams. He taught us how to use return on incremental investment capital analysis, discounted cash flow models, and Warren Buffet methods to form buy, sell, or hold recommendations on different companies. Learning these techniques from someone who had used them firsthand throughout his career was invaluable. Another highlight of the course was the final project. We were given a list of companies to choose from and were then tasked with coming up with a valuation and buy, sell, or hold recommendation from scratch. At our final presentations, Professor Coleman recruited some of his colleagues to ask us questions and provide feedback. Many of them had spent time evaluating the companies we selected and meeting with their management teams. They certainly brought a unique perspective, and they told us ways to fine-tune our analysis. Professor Coleman and his course add tremendous value to the MSF program, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from him.
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Daniel Sweeney
Guggenheim Securities, NYC
Dr. Parrino’s Investment Banking & Corporate Modeling courses during junior fall were an invaluable part of my educational experience at UF and prepared me for my junior internship. These courses clearly explained key underlying corporate finance concepts. Most importantly, Dr. Parrino structured the course to go beyond theory and push students to get their hands dirty completing analyses that analysts frequently do on the job. These courses allowed me to hit the ground running during my internship, as I was able to grasp training quickly, ask specific questions when given tasks, and better understand senior bankers’ strategic discussions on team calls.
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Coleman Tadrowski
Honeywell, Mobile
Taking Dr. Takeda’s Bloomberg course was essential to my success in my internship with Honeywell. As a commercial finance analyst, I was given two data visualization projects that used Tableau and a supply chain mapping project that used SAP. I came into summer never using these programs, similar to how I entered Dr. Takeda’s Bloomberg course. However, I took the same approach to learning Tableau and SAP as I did with Bloomberg. I started working on introductory “mini-projects” that familiarized myself with the functions of the program. Eventually, I was able to develop proficiency with both applications and created interactive deliverables that are still utilized by the company today.
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William Tompkins
Oliver Wyman, Atlanta
The MSF program provided me with a unique perspective and set of skills for the actuarial field that I’ve entered. The curriculum not only prepared me for the technical aspects of actuarial science, but also the client-facing interpersonal skills required in consulting. During my actuarial internships, I found that many aspects of finance were deeply interconnected in the work I was doing. Many actuaries pursue mathematics or statistics degrees, so my experience in the MSF program allowed me to stand out and approach the job from a different point of view.
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Austin Vetter
Stephens, Atlanta
My involvement with the Founders Fund, a student run investment club, was the single most important extracurricular for rounding out my finance education. I have found that I learn the most when I get into the weeds and engage with the material. The Fund requires students to quickly become experts in a specific sector and to begin looking for investment opportunities. The process of researching, building a presentation, pitching, and then answering questions forced me to engage with the material and deepened my understanding of finance. Additionally, like the MSF program, the Fund has a great culture of older students providing guidance to younger students. Joining as a sophomore, the learning curve was incredibly steep, but by the time I delivered my first pitch, I felt confident I could successfully apply the knowledge I had recently acquired. Without the help of a strong network of older students, I would have been much less prepared and overall had a much less meaningful learning experience.
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Agustina Vincent de Urquiza
Goldman Sachs, San Francisco
Upon introducing myself to my fellow interns during my junior summer internship at Goldman Sachs, I felt immediately daunted by the prestige of their academic backgrounds. Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford students represented to name a few, I was the only summer analyst joining the firm from a non-target background – and the only University of Florida student that that office had ever seen. My peers and bosses alike each recognized and acknowledged my non-traditional background, however, it was never to evoke feelings of oddity. My time at the firm helped redefine expectations of what non-target students are and are capable of, with my knowledge and skills, as shaped by UF and the MSF program, placing me at par with or above my co-interns. Being the intern with the least traditionally “prestigious” university on my resume meant that my landing the role was more difficult, but it never hindered me on the job. If anything, it motivated me to work harder and showcase exactly what “non-target” students are capable of.
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Paul Whytal
Credit Suisse, NYC
The fixed income courses taught by Dr. Brown were instrumental in providing me with a strong foundation for my full-time role in leveraged finance. I ended up taking three of Dr. Brown’s classes after my internship in leveraged finance capital markets. However, I found that after spending time with fixed-income products during my internship, I was able to solidify my knowledge and take full advantage of the material in class. The undergraduate fixed income classes gave me enough background for me to succeed in my internship and learn on the desk, but the masters-level classes went much deeper in the context of investment banking and capital markets transactions, which I found extremely valuable. I am confident that these courses will serve me well when I return this summer and have prepared me well for a career in investment banking and beyond. I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from Dr. Brown and the rest of the MSF faculty in preparation for my full-time role.
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Sally Yang
Lord Abbett, Jersey City
As MSF students, we had the opportunity to take Dr. Brown’s course sequence, Fixed Income Security Valuation and Interest Rate Risks, during the first semester in the MSF program. Dr. Brown was extremely capable of breaking down complex concepts and conveying them in simple terms. After taking the course sequence, I was able to understand the basics of fixed income and became interested in the credit space. During my junior internship on the trading floor, I was fortunate to be assigned to high yield desk as one of my two internship rotations. Having taken Dr. Brown’s fixed income classes, I was able to quickly catch up on some of the terminology on the trading desk and dived deep into my final internship project, which was a credit analysis on a company’s bonds and terms loans. During the rotation, I found myself constantly drawing from the knowledge obtained from those classes and built on it as I progressed through the rotation. Without the previous exposure from his classes, I don’t think the rotation would have been as immersive and enjoyable. I am extremely grateful for Dr. Brown and my other professors’ dedication in helping their students fully understand the contents and successfully apply what they learnt in their internships and full-time roles.
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Mingyin Zhu
Finance Ph.D. Program, The University of Florida
Coming from a non-finance undergraduate experience, I deeply appreciate the MSF program as I prepare to enter the finance PhD program at UF in the fall. Through the MSF program, I was able to get exposure to many finance topics which was a big help for understanding the topics I can research as a PhD student. I especially appreciate the excellent faculty and the high-quality courses offered which were interactive and engaging. The educational value of the program is indisputable. Being in the MSF program also led me to valuable opportunities to work as a research assistant within the finance department at UF. It opened a network of faculty mentors who helped me understand what conducting research in finance involves and gave me firsthand experience working on research projects.
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Azat Agishev
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Wells Fargo Securities, Charlotte -
Jackson Anderson
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Honeywell, Clearwater -
Elise Bell
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
JP Morgan Private Bank, Dallas -
Bryce Beltz
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Citizens, Atlanta -
Alexander Benitez
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
RBC Capital Markets, NYC -
Savan Bhula
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
KBW, NYC -
Jack Boyd
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Guggenheim, NYC -
Leah Burkam
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Truist, Atlanta -
Sebastian Carson
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
BCG, Miami -
Diego Chavez
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Wells Fargo Securities, TBD -
Jeremy Cheng
Accepted for summer 2022:
Barclays, NYC -
Joseph Cowan
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Gardens Wealth Management, Palm Beach Gardens -
Nicolas Cuesta
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
RBC Capital Markets, NYC -
Michelle Cuppy
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
RBC Capital Markets, NYC -
Alexia Dauelsberg
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Goldman Sachs, Miami -
William (Caleb) Davidson
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Honeywell, TBD -
Jack Dellenger
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Evercore, NYC -
Jacqueline DiGiorgio
LinkedIn
Tentatively participating:
Entrepreneurship Empowerment, South Africa -
Jacob (Cobe) Fatovic
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Eastdil Secured, Atlanta -
Kayla Freyre
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
JP Morgan, Atlanta -
Anthony (AJ) Friesl
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Honeywell, TBD -
Avery Fu
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Proctor & Gamble, TBD -
Jonas Gaspari
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Truist, Atlanta -
Graham Geis
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
JPMorgan, NYC -
Ana Gjuraj
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Honeywell, Atlanta -
Brett Gross
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
RBC Capital Markets, NYC -
Joshua Honorat
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Morgan Stanley, NYC -
Marek Hornak
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Evercore, NYC -
Taysir Ismail
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Hamilton Lane, Philadelphia -
Chloe Johnson
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Evercore, NYC -
Devin Katz
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
KPMG, Atlanta -
Harry Koutroumanis
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Truist Wealth, TBD -
Victoria Lake
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
JP Morgan, Charlotte -
Noah Lewis
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Raymond James, St. Petersburg -
Jobeth Liss
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Principal Financial Group, NYC -
Justin Lorry
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Deloitte Consulting, DC -
Madeleine MacLaren
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Wells Fargo Securities, Charlotte -
Brody Mandelbaum
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
McKinsey & Co., NYC -
Jose Mayorca
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, NYC -
Anthony Nasnas
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Mr. Cooper, Dallas -
Jaiden Patel
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
LifeSci Capital, NYC -
Kosha Patel
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Goldman Sachs, Consumer & Wealth Management, Boston -
Alessandro Perugini
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
William Blair, Atlanta -
Caleb Pezzi
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Guggenheim, NYC -
Brian Ramsey
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
NextEra Energy, Juno Beach -
Alejandro Salinas
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Centerview Partners, NYC -
Justin Sheir
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Truist, Atlanta -
Cameron Slack
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
ASB Financial, Tampa -
Demoi Smith
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
JPMorgan, Houston -
Paul Snider
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, NYC -
Grant Stanish
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Stifel, NYC -
Jonathon (Kevin) Tyler
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
RBC Capital Markets, NYC -
Sydney Watson
LinkedIn
Accepted for summer 2022:
Adams Street Partners, Menlo Park, CA
Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to our outstanding students who received these scholarships last year.
Jeffrey M. Levine Banking Scholarship:
Betty W. Penter Memorial Scholarship:
William R. Hough Scholarship:
MSF students stand out at competitions
A team of three Master of Science in Finance students won the eighth annual stock pitch competition hosted by the UGA Terry College of Business on February 25. Two other MSF teams finished in the top 12 of the event, which was also attended by teams from the University of Indiana, University of Texas, University of Georgia and University of Virginia, among others.
MSF teams also won first place at a stock pitch competition hosted by Adams Street Partners in partnership with the Founders Fund student organization. MSF teams earned another first place finish at the University of Virginia Stock Pitch Competition.
An MSF team also finished second at the largest U.S. competition hosted at the University of Michigan.
Contact Us id="contact-us"
Kelly Herring
Director, William R. Hough Program in Finance
Master of Science in Finance Program
352.392.9249
Fax: 352.392.0301
Email Mrs. Herring