More than 1,000 students from 115 universities and 38 countries as well as hundreds of business professionals attended Quinnipiac’s second annual Global Asset Management Education II Forum this past weekend, bringing business professionals and potentially their future colleagues together.
Both business students and professionals from all over the country came together at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in New York City. The three-day event was designed to allow students to learn more about the business world directly from industry leaders themselves.
Andrew Papai, a volunteer on the oversight committee and senior accounting and finance major, described the event as “a global conference that brings together the brightest minds on Wall Street with students that want to get that perspective of the business world.”
On the first day, a panel of keynote speakers led a discussion that centered around the global economy.
The second day included breakout sessions, in which students were split up into groups in order to gain the perspective of the professionals in a more intimate setting. Participants learned through discussion panels and workshops.
The third day focused on career opportunities. Young professionals who are newer to their fields were on hand to discuss entering the workforce.
Chairman of the G.A.M.E. Oversight Committee Francesco Compagnino, a finance and economics major, said that every university in the country was invited to come to the event. The event was also a great way for students to network, which Campagnino stressed as one of the most important parts of the business field.
“Not many places have that opportunity to interact with professionals,” Compagnino said.
Nicholas Mastromarino, a senior who worked as a volunteer for the forum, agrees that networking is huge.
“If you want to get a job at a bank or something like that, they expect the GPA, they expect the internship,” Mastromarino said. “You can’t really get the internship without networking. You can’t really get the job without networking.”
Following Quinnipiac’s School of Business’ 19-spot jump to No. 72 on the seventh annual Bloomberg Businessweek List of “The Best Undergraduate Business Schools,” the G.A.M.E. II Forum could not have come at a more appropriate time, Mastromarino said.
“We weren’t recognized on the list before last year,” Mastromarino said. “We have moved up. Definitely more people are hearing about Quinnipiac.”
