The Chief Financiers Organization was started a little more than two years ago to address the need of extremely talented students at FAMU who wanted to learn about and pursue finance careers.
Through informational seminars and simulations held by the CFO, students are able to gain confidence, knowledge and the emotional intensity required of them to land internships and permanent jobs in finance.
These methods proved successful, as 17 members of the organization will be interning with America’s finest in Wall Street this summer.
In addition to educating students and teaching them how to create wealth for themselves, the organization helps students build networks and relationships intended to help them in the future.
“The earlier a student decides to join the CFO, the better. As an incoming freshman or sophomore, older members will be able to positively influence them and share knowledge that they have previously learned.,” said Alicia Board, CFO president.
She said the older members share their knowledge with the freshmen and sophomores.
“By the time a member is a graduating senior, they will have benefited greatly from the group and they will be well prepared to enter Wall Street. The best part about coming a member of the CFO is that everyone learns from each other and everyone excels.”
Another aspect that sets CFO apart from other organizations is the way meetings are handled.
“Our meetings are not ‘general body meetings,’ where nothing is accomplished,” Board said. ” Since the meetings are held to serve as many needs as possible, they are informational where the members actually learn valuable skills,” Board said.
The CFO also held many events this year, including a Mergers and Acquisitions Buyout Game where students learned about investment banking, and a Credit and Debt Seminar where an accredited financial advisor gave students advice on how to avoid credit traps and stay out of debt.
Today, the CFO is sponsoring Bank of America Day. Representatives from the bank will be visiting with FAMU students to recruit interns and permanent hires for positions in departments such as asset management sales and trading investment banking. In addition to having the opportunity to meet top executives from the bank, students will be able to indulge in a complimentary barbecue.
Aaron Gray, a junior finance major from Chicago, gave his insight on the CFO experience.
“Though the CFO is open to all majors, it’s directed to those who want a career in finance,” Gray said. “I’ve benefited from the workshops and seminars and the organization helped me to get an internship this summer on Wall Street!”