A group of 10 students from the Edinboro and California campuses of PennWest University’s Department of Business, Economics & Communication attended the 2024 CFA Society of Pittsburgh Career Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

PennWest faculty members Dr. Shaun Pfeiffer, Dr. Nan Li and Dr. Christian Ola oversaw the student trip, which consisted of three speaker panels throughout the day.

“The event continues to improve each year and provides students with an excellent opportunity for education on the CFA designation and other relevant topics,” said Lydia Solomon, a senior personal financial planning student at PennWest. “A highlight of the day is always the chance to network with employers, event panelists and faculty members.”

“The CFA Charter and Program Explained” outlined the three levels of the CFA exams and provided students with an education on the value of earning their CFA designation.

“Building Your Network — Networking and Making Connections for Career Success” covered how to successfully network at a professional event, after which the students were given an opportunity to practice their networking and business communication skills with real employers such as BNY Mellon, C.S. McKee, Erie Insurance and PNC Bank.

“Job Search Strategy Uncensored” gave students the opportunity to hear from a seasoned hiring manager and a company recruiter regarding the job search process. This session also gave students the opportunity to ask questions related to hiring, resumes and careers.

The PennWest students and faculty members ended the day with dinner and a competitive team building exercise before traveling back to their respective campuses.

Eight of the 10 business students that attended this year’s event are enrolled in PennWest’s personal financial planning and/or finance programs.

PennWest’s finance and personal financial planning program is one of only 14 in Pennsylvania that meets the rigorous CFP® curriculum requirements needed for a student to be eligible to sit for the CFP® Exam. 

For more information about these programs, please contact PennWest faculty members Dr. Michael Engdahl or Dr. Christian Ola.

Pictured: Dr. Nan Li, Dr. Shaun Pfeiffer, Emily Cevera, Olivia Kaufmann, McKenzie Miller, Lydia Solomon, Mason Hudson, John Duda, Jacon Bettano, Daniel Hastings, Andrew McAvoy and Aaron Collins (Not pictured: Dr. Christian Ola).