Alumni Newsletter September 2014
MFE Hits the Ground Running
The Western Master of Financial Economics (MFE) experienced a busy and successful first year. Despite the many challenges of a new program – ranging from developing new classes to building connections with employers to helping our students in their job search, the first year of the MFE saw our students succeed in and out of the classroom.
This summer, our first class of 15 bright, hard-working students left the classroom for their internships. All 15 students secured internships with organizations such as the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP), Bank of Canada, Highstreet Asset Management, Manulife and RBC. Feedback from employers has been very positive about our students’ training and energy.
As a four-term professional program, the first MFE cohort returns this month for their final term. In addition to required courses from the Faculty of Law in securities law and regulation and from Finance at Ivey, many of our students will be taking a new course in risk management that will be co-taught by faculty from the Departments of Economics and Statistical and Actuarial Sciences. This innovation is part of the MFE’s commitment to prepare our students for the challenges of managing risk in an increasingly complex economic environment.
The Western MFE also made the news in its first year. In January 2014, we celebrated the launch of the MFE with much excitement and representation from all four faculties and the senior administration. More recently our students successfully competed in international and employer sponsored competitions. At the Rotman International Trading Competition, a group of MFE students coached by MFE instructor Professor Harold Hugel placed in the top 15. (See picture above.) MFE student Josh Macdonald, an OTPP Asset Mix and Risk intern, participated on the team that took first place in the OTPP’s summer co-op case study competition.
In August, we welcomed the second cohort of MFE students. This class is also very strong, with competition for admission even more intense than last year. Applications to the program were up by nearly 50% with close to 300 applicants for an incoming class of 20 students. Thanks to the generous donation of Highstreet Asset Management, our incoming class this fall includes the first Highstreet Scholarship recipient.
We look forward to building on the success and momentum from our first year. There are many ways that you can help. Send us your thoughts on our curriculum, volunteer as a guest speaker in our speaker series, or join our Advisory Board. Our first cohort will be seeking employment this fall for a January 2015 start and our second cohort will be looking for internships for the Summer 2015 term. Let us know if your firm is looking for highly trained and motivated new hires. Finally, if you are able to help support the program via a donation for MFE student scholarships or activities such as our speaker series, please contact us at mfe@uwo.ca.
Jim MacGee
Acting MFE Co-Director
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