Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree? Why your particular program?
A graduate degree is a stepping stone that converts a normal being into a professional and it provides you expertise in a specific field with a concentration on very specific subjects. Personally, I was an undergraduate in Bachelors of Business administration so it provided me all the opportunities to explore different subjects like marketing, HR, accounting finance, and the subject that I was intrigued with was finance and therefore I decided to pursue my masters. And also I have a curiosity about how the system of money works and I have already received so many answers during the course of this degree.
Why did you choose UNH and Paul College?
I choose UNH and paul college because of how resourceful UNH is Top-Tier Research and has the Highest Sustainability Rating. The main reason for the attraction was also a very positive review from the alumni about the professors and their unique way of teaching. I choose Paul college because the resources that they provide are great like the Bloomberg terminals that will provide you with all the information in the world which is normally not accessible to us, the classes in Paul college are high tech they have great resources like competitions and networking events and great job opportunities.
Tell us about a favorite class and/or professor:
My favorite class was Cases in Finance By Dr. Yixin Liu. The class is so practical where you learn about real-life cases that happen in the real world you discuss it and provide your input and learn about what can be done to prevent this kind of case to happen or what was the reason why the events took place.
Tell us about something you have learned/discovered during your program that surprised you. How do you think you will apply it professionally?
There are a number of things you learn during this course of this project but to summarize my journey I would say you understand how the world of finance works. Like in corporate finance you understand the time value of money, in investments, you understand how to evaluate companies based on their Beta and ratios, you also learn python that helps you code in finance, in financial theory you learn about bond valuation, in financial modeling you learn about the excel and why you use CAPM, in corporate financial reporting you learn about the accounting entries, etc. All these things will help you in the real world because if tomorrow you take a loan you actually calculate the interest rate and the payments with the help of the time value of money and your excel skills and you will understand the logic behind the stock market and how to invest.
Looking back on your time at UNH, what are you most proud of and why?
Looking back at my time at UNH I am most proud of the fact that UNH has evolved me so much from an average guy to a confident and well-educated professional. I have a lot of memories like the U-Day or the football matches, homecoming, or the meeting held to socialize with people all around the world, enjoying the pool in the summer, or taking long walks and enjoying the colors of fall. I am proud to be a WildCats because it gave me a sense of belongingness and a new identity. Now I am a part of the rich history of this university.
What do you like most about Paul College?
Paul College has an abundance of resources that can help you excel in the future right from career services that provide you with guidance and knowledge about the future path. The high-tech Bloomberg Terminals provide all the information in the world about the markets. Also the infrastructure the paul college has the best area where you can chill, study or enjoy your coffee. And the most important is the professors will help you at every step of your professional journey.
What do you consider to be the strengths of your academic program?
My academic program Masters of Science in Finance is so diversified with a number of different subjects and activities like the stock pitch competition where we pitch a stock and provide analysis and the future trends/reviewing analyst recommendations report, conducting assessments of current issues, building the stock portfolio and calculating the risk and return of security using excel, learning the finance from technology perspective thereby learning programming languages—which amazed me and listening to finance experts. I believe the course structure is overall surprisingly well presented and in a learning curve, every day, there is something new that I am going through. Aforementioned, all the topics are designed in a way that is preparing us to be decisive within the given time alongside the team that we are working with, which is exactly how am surely going to apply it professionally.
Do you have any advice for others who may be interested in this program?
I would say definitely if you are interested in finance and want to explore the world of finance this is the best place to go. I would suggest interacting as much as you can with your professors as well as peers because UNH is so diversified you will meet people from all around the world and you will have a great experience. Always ask as many questions as you can and there are no wrong answers.
How do you hope this program will help you advance or pivot in your career?
The program will provide you with an abundance of knowledge that will give you a competitive edge over other professionals and it will help you explore numerous opportunities and you will have the power to write your own success story.
