Lehigh University College of Business and Economics alumni connected with current students at the ninth annual Wall Street Council Financial Services Forum last month.
The Council was formed in 2002 to foster a network for Lehigh CBE students on Wall Street. Lehigh graduates hold positions at various Wall Street companies, such as J.P. Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs.
Jim Boylan (’89), President and Head of Investment Banking at Leerink Partners, delivered the keynote address. “This is not a straight line to the end zone: you have to zig and zag and roll with the punches,” he said, stressing the importance of flexibility under uncertain circumstances. He continued, “When students, alumni, and faculty come together for an agenda, that’s a powerful initiative.”
The event was comprised of six breakout sessions: wealth management, sales and trading, investment banking, real estate, research, and asset management. Additionally, students got the chance to speak one-on-one with members of the Council to pursue advice and mentorship opportunities.
Wall Street Council co-founder Andrew Fife described the role of the Council as follows: “This forum is our most visible student event, but we’re always involved and helping students in less visible ways throughout the year…We hope that students will graduate with the best chance to stand out in a very competitive job process.” Fife is currently an Equity Derivative Sales Representative at Stifel Nicolaus, and he has held prior positions at Citi, Oppenheimer & Co., and Susquehanna Financial Group.
He is one of 12 members of the WSC Board of Directors.