On Thursday, Feb. 6, a group of six students from PennWest University’s Department of Business, Economics and Communication attended a two-day Financial Analyst Trip in Pittsburgh.
PennWest faculty member Dr. Shaun Pfeiffer accompanied PennWest students Josie Delp, Maggie Johnson, Isaac Bell, Matthew Schmader, Chase Weaver and Matthew Herbe on the trip, along with a group of Penn State Behrend students led by Professor Eric Robbins.
“This was a great opportunity for students to see different career paths they can take primarily as a CFA Charterholder, but also as a CFP®,” said Josie Delp, a senior Personal Financial Planning student at the PennWest Clarion campus.
The first stop on the trip was at Fifth Third Wealth Advisors in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. During the visit, students engaged in discussions with George Emanuele, CFA, CMT, Justin Bensema, CFP®, and RJ Wingertsahn. They gained valuable insights into the wealth advisory business and explored the significance of becoming a CFA Charterholder.
Next, students visited Federated Hermes, where they were hosted by Nick Findley, CFA, Jared Orr, CFP®, and Matt Litzinger, CFA. Students were able to observe how the significance of being a CFA Charterholder is applied in both fixed income and equity sectors. Thursday concluded with a networking event hosted by the CFA Society of Pittsburgh’s Emerging Leaders Group, where students could connect with CFAs from the Pittsburgh area, as well as fellow students preparing to pursue the CFA designation.
On Friday morning, students visited with Kevin Koerbel and Frank Bovina, CPA, at First Commonwealth Bank. During the visit, students gained valuable insights into the banking industry, with a particular focus on credit risk management.
Friday afternoon, students visited Schneider Downs, where they were hosted by Jason Staley, CFA, CAIA®, Michael Divins, CFA, and Sean McCann, CFA, Ryan Hudson, and Stephanie Haugh. During the visit, they learned about the operations of a Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm within a large, regional accounting firm. Students also learned about the core values of Schneider Downs and how the firm enhances its service offerings to best meet the needs of its clients.
For more information about PennWest's Finance and Personal Financial Planning programs, please contact Dr. Pfeiffer at spfeiffer@pennwest.edu.
Pictured above from left: PennWest students Josie Delp, Maggie Johnson, Isaac Bell, Matthew Schmader, Chase Weaver and Matthew Herbe and faculty member Dr. Shaun Pfeiffer.