The Raj Soin College of Business is proud to be the lead sponsor for the Dayton Business Journal “Forty Under Forty” awards ceremony.
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Overview
Open the Door to Your Success... With a Degree in Finance or Financial ServicesEvery business organization and government agency and for that matter every individual raises money and decides how to spend or invest it. Whether they realize it or not, they all use finance as part of their every day activities. A degree in Finance or Financial Services from the Raj Soin College of Business will put you in demand in a world where money and markets matter. For a Bachelor of Science in Business choose from majors in Finance or Financial Services. The College also offers a Master of Business Adminstration with a concentration in Finance.
We offer a number of opportunities to enrich the educational experience of our students. These Include:
- An active Finance Club with guest speakers, field trips and networking opportunities
- The Raider Asset Management class which allows students to manage real money
- Participation in tha National Financial Services competition
- The Wright Financial Path - peer to peer financial counseling
- Nationally recognized Soin Trading Center
Department Updates
- Student and Faculty Experience WSU's $25M Bond Sale with Fifth Third Bank Leaders
- Tale of 2 Careers - Wright state Couple combines Medicine & Finance
- Wright State Finance Students Outpace National Average in Chartered Financial Analyst Exam
- WSU's financial planning students make history at national invitational
Quick Links
- Finance Club - Don't miss out on this year's exciting events and the annual field trip to a major financial market
- Want help managing credit, debt and other financial issues? Take advantage of peer services from the Wright Financial Path
- Tour the nationally recognized Soin Trading Room
- Visit the Finance and Financial Services facebook page
Upcoming Events
Thu23May5:30 pm
News & Updates
May 10, 2013
How would you like a 14.3% growth in your retirement fund? Would you be willing to settle for 8.75%? That’s exactly what some sharp students from Raider Country...
May 6, 2013
GE Capital Retail Bank has awarded $16,500 to 41 teachers for scholarships to enhance the financial literacy of students in a 15-county area.
Apr 24, 2013
Fifty Raj Soin College of Business students along with Barry James of James Investment Research were inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the highest international business honor society...
Apr 3, 2013
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) floor can appear to be a crazed channel of activity, but it was a trip to hurricane-ravaged Broad Channel, NY that was the most memorable...
Meet Our Students, Alumni, and Faculty
Ryan Collins
'11 B.S.B. Finance and Accountancy
Black Men on the Move Treasurer; Beta Alpha Psi Accounting Honor Society "The Raj Soin College of Business opens so many doors to advance and develop yourself. I've taken trips to business hubs such as Chicago and New York to visit Fortune 500 companies. The College is preparing me academically with its well-respected business program and has already connected me with numerous career opportunities. My part-time job in banking has exposed me to the financial world. And the case studies in my finance classes have shown me creative ways to solve difficult business issues."
Steven Bennett
'09 B.S.B. Finance
Outstanding Finance Graduate 2009 Recipient, Wall Street Journal Award Candidate, Certified Financial Analyst
"The Finance curriculum and our professors integrate course work with real-world applications. For example, Finance 418 - Financial Management III uses a case study approach that creates a valuable connection between academic principles and real financial situations. Our upper-level courses also require the use of the Bloomberg terminal and real-time data in the College's nationally recognized Soin Trading Room. Having gained the knowledge and the experience of using Bloomberg has provided me a competitive edge in the job market."
Advantages
- Prestigious Recognition - Our students and curriculum continue to receive both national and state-wide recognition. Here are just a few examples:
- Our students have exceeded the national pass rate for the Chartered Financial Analysts (TM) exam.
- Our Financial Service major is the recipient of the prestigious Program Excellence award from the Ohio Board of Regents. This is one of only 234 such programs registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.
- Our students have won top honors in case competitions such as the American Express Financial Services Invitational.
- CFA™ - Chartered Financial Analyst (TM) is a certification essential for students seeking positions as a financial analyst.
- CFP™ - Certified Financial Planner is an essential certification for anyone interested in personal financial planning.
- The Professional Edge - By choosing certain courses, students can prepare themselves to sit for a variety of professional certifications - and immediately differentiate themselves from other job applicants when they graduate.
- Faculty Excellence - Finance Department faculty are not only highly qualified through unique training and real-world experience in their fields, they have also received numerous awards for outstanding teaching, scholarship, and student involvement.
- Prestigious Recognition - Our students and curriculum continue to receive both national and state-wide recognition. Here are just a few examples:
Internships
Real-World Learning
The Raj Soin College of Business prides itself in providing a real-world learning environment to help students get good jobs when they graduate. Caring and supportive faculty work with students to ensure their academic achievement and career advancement. Here are just a few of the ways faculty enrich students’ classroom experience with real-world learning opportunities.
Internship and Cooperative Education
Qualified finance and financial services majors can get an added edge by gaining real-world experience through an internship or cooperative education experience, and through a capstone course in which students develop comprehensive financial plans for individuals or businesses.
Internships are one-time work arrangements that give students a chance to put their classroom learning to work in a real business setting. You can even earn academic credit if your internship is supervised by a faculty member.
The co-op program lets students alternate periods of work and school so they can learn more about business fields, develop job-related skills, and test career interests.
Check out internship and job opportunities on Wright Search. And keep your current resume on Wright Search so that employers can find you! For your convenience, we also post each week's internships and jobs from Wright Search on our College homepage.
Career Services also helps students and alumni through all phases of your career development process including developing your job search strategy, writing effective cover letters and resumes, mock interviews with video-taped feedback, effective business etiquette and more.
Let our faculty know about your internship and career goals. They have a wealth of contacts in business and government to help you find internships and career positions.
Internship Requirements
Internship in Finance and Financial Services (Fin 4810 or Fin 4860)
The Department of Finance and Financial Services at Wright State University offers an internship program as part of its undergraduate curriculum in Finance and Financial Services. The purpose of the internship is to provide qualified finance and financial services majors with professional, on-the-job training and experience not obtainable in the classroom.
Academic and Course Requirements
The following academic standards serve as criteria for participation in the internship program.
- An academic grade-point average in your major of not less than 3.0.
- An all-University grade point average of not less than 2.5.
- An Internship Faculty Advisor’s recommendation affirming above-average ability, good character, and professional promise.
Course Requirements
To be eligible for a Department of Finance or Financial Services internship, the student must have completed the following courses or their equivalents:
Financial Services Majors
FIN 3160: Personal Financial Planning
FIN 3260: Risk and Insurance
FIN 3120: Investing in Securities
ACC 3430: Federal Income Tax IFinance Majors
FIN 3110: Financial Management II
FIN 3120: Investing in Securities
ACC 3010: Intermediate Accounting IAny student who does not meet the above requirements may submit a written petition explaining why he or she should be admitted into the internship program.
Applications
Applications can be obtained from the Department of Finance and Financial Services in 296 Rike or below. Applications should be submitted to the internship coordinator at least one month prior to the beginning of the quarter in which the internship is to take place. In addition to the application, students are required to submit a one-page essay and a current electronic copy of their résumé. All applications are reviewed and either approved or rejected for interviews. (See Application for Referral Services.) Approval does not insure placement; it only grants the student the opportunity to interview with participating firms.
Interviews
Interviews are scheduled and arranged by the internship sponsor who matches the skills and interests of the applicant with the needs and preferences of their firm. The Department of Finance and Financial Services, through its faculty advisor, will contact and select all participating firms. Students may be permitted to make independent contacts with potential participating firms when authorized by the faculty advisor. Action to the contrary can result in withdrawal of the internship credit. (See Application for Internship in Finance 4810/4860, which must be turned in prior to beginning your internship.)
Credit, Reports and Grading
Credit
The internship, Finance 4810, and Finance 4860 are elective courses carrying up to three semester hours of credit. These three semester hours qualify as a business elective, and may not be used as a substitute for core requirements in the Finance or Financial Services concentration.
Periodic Reports
Each intern must provide the internship coordinator with a brief, bi-weekly written report, describing the work assignments performed. The internship sponsor will be provided a copy of the bi-weekly report by the internship coordinator. In addition, the intern and sponsor must complete interim and final evaluation reports provided by the Department of Finance. Finally, the intern is required to submit a final evaluation at the conclusion of the internship. This evaluation will consist of a type-written, double-spaced report, consisting of 4 or more pages, assessing the lessons learned from their internship experience. Please include recommendations on how to improve the internship program for future interns. (See Instructions for Evaluation Report).
Grading
The final grade for the course, issued by the faculty advisor, is based upon an assessment of the student's performance and accomplishments and the participating firm's evaluations, which are submitted during and upon completion of the program.
Length of Internship and Compensation
Length of Internship
The internship will normally last for one academic semester. If mutually agreeable, the internship period may include vacation periods that precede and follow the internship semester.
Compensation
Interns may be paid a stipend by the participating firm and are responsible for their own living expenses including travel to and from work.
Enrollment in Other Courses
Interns may take other courses during the internship period provided those courses can be scheduled so as not to interfere with the duties of the internship.
Participating Firm's Responsibilities
The participating firm cooperates with the faculty advisor in planning meaningful work assignments which will extend the student’s education and experience beyond the classroom environment. In addition, the firm has the responsibility of evaluating the individual's performance level, limitations, potential, and developmental needs, and sharing this evaluation with both the student and the faculty advisor. The internship sponsor should contact the faculty advisor after completing the mid-course evaluation to discuss the intern’s progress.
Career Services at Wright State
Students may choose to register with Career Services at Wright State for assistance in writing a résumé. Career Services also offers assistance in finding an internship position. Please allow yourself enough time to find a position prior to the start of the quarter in which the internship is to take place. Registration with Career Services is not mandatory, since the Department of Finance and Financial Services offers placement services as well. However, all students that want internship credit are required to register with the internship coordinator through the Department of Finance and Financial Services, regardless of how the position is found.
Orientation for Career Services’ Wright Search résumé data base and use of the Career Resource Center are available on a walk-in basis.
Wright State University Career Services
E334 Student Union
Career Advisor Appointments: (937) 775-2556
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.For Additional Information Contact:
Sharon Wik, Internship Coordinator
Department of Finance and Financial Services
Wright State University
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy.
296 Rike Hall
Dayton, OH 45435
Telephone: (937) 775-3141
Fax: (937) 775-3545
rscob-financeintern@wright.eduDownload: Internship Requirements and Application Form (PDF)
Career Opportunities
Careers in finance are wide ranging and diverse. Some examples include:
- Money and capital markets — Positions include loan officer, trust officer, acquisitions specialist, credit analyst, and branch manager in such financial institutions as banks, insurance companies, and investment banking firms.
- Investments — Career paths include stockbroker, security analyst, money manager, and portfolio manager in such settings as brokerage houses and institutional investment firms.
- Financial management - This area offers opportunities in positions such as credit analyst, capital budgeting analyst, treasurer, cash manager, financial analyst, and budget officer. These professionals help companies or organizations raise capital, grow their business, make acquisitions and plan for the future, make investment decisions, decide on credit terms, and manage excess cash.
- Careers in Financial Services
Reducing debt, saving for a child’s college education, investing for retirement, estate planning, these are the kinds of finance issues that ordinary people face every day. For help, they often turn to professionals with a degree in financial services — including financial planners, insurance agents, stockbrokers, real estate brokers, trust officers, and loan officers. Students with degrees in financial services find rewarding positions with banks and credit unions, brokerage and investment firms, real estate sales and appraisal firms, and personal financial planning firms.
Where the Jobs Are
- Commercial Banking
- Corporate Finance
- Financial Planning
- Insurance
- Investment Banking
- Money Management
- Real Estate
Positions in Demand
- Stock broker
- Portfolio manager
- Budget officer
- Cash manager
- Loan officer
- Trust officer
- Credit analyst
- Financial analyst
- Securities analyst
- Treasurer
Where Wright State Finance Graduates Are Hired
- JPMorgan Chase
- Charles Schwab
- Deloitte
- Eble, Brady and Sutton
- The Iams Company
- General Electric
- J.D. Edwards
- James Investment Research
- Lexis-Nexis
- Liberty Savings Bank
- McDonald Securities
- MeadWestvaco
- Merrill Lynch
- Morgan Stanley
- National City Bank
- The Proctor and Gamble Company
- Reynolds and Reynolds
- Smith Barney
- Standard Register
- Thor Industries
- U.S. Bank
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Career Services
Check out internship and job opportunities on Wright Search. And keep your current resume on Wright Search so that employers can find you! For your convenience, we also post each week's internships and jobs from Wright Search on our College homepage.
Career Services also helps students and alumni through all phases of your career development process including developing your job search strategy, writing effective cover letters and resumes, mock interviews with video-taped feedback, effective business etiquette and more.
Let our faculty know about your internship and career goals. They have a wealth of contacts in business and government to help you find internships and career positions.
Meet the Chair
Marlena L. Akhbari, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Chair, Finance and Financial Services
Dr. Akhbari earned her Ph. D. in finance from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA from Wright State University with concentrations in accountancy and finance, and a BA in romance languages from Bowdoin College. She joined the Raj Soin College of Business faculty in the fall of 1999. She has been the recipient of the Outstanding Finance Teacher Award four times in seven years and the Outstanding MBA Teacher for the academic year 2002-2003. Dr. Akhbari’s teaching and research interests are primarily in the field of Financial Management. She has had the pleasure of instructing students at both the MBA and undergraduate levels for the University of Cincinnati and the University of Dayton, as well as the Raj Soin College of Business. She has developed challenging case courses for both the undergraduate and graduate programs and has taught cohorts of Chinese students in Dayton and in Shanghai.
Dr. Akhbari’s most recent publications have been on the efficiency of forward foreign exchange markets and the use of patterned momentum strategies in investing in no-load mutual funds. She has also served as a reviewer for the Journal of Applied Business Research’, the International Conference of the Academy of Business Administration, and the Journal of Asia-Pacific Business.
In addition to her normal teaching load, research, and service activities, Dr. Akhbari has been instrumental in the founding of the Wright Financial Path which is a unique student delivered counseling service directed at improving money management habits among students across the Wright State University campus. Several Financial Services students are trained each year to provide advice on money management topics such as budgeting, credit cards, credit scores, and debt management after which they maintain scheduled office hours and provide seminars on these topics for students campus-wide.
Dr. Akhbari’s prior business experiences range from retail buying to accounting for Montgomery County’s Community Development Block Grant Program. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to provide executive training to area businesses while at the Raj Soin College of Business.
Contact
Department of Finance and Financial Services
244 Rike Hall
3640 Colonel Glenn Highway
Dayton, OH 45345-0001
Phone: (937) 775-3176
Email: rscob-admin@wright.edu