The Quinlan School of Business recently announced a new partnership with two leading professional organizations in the finance and investment industry. Under this new agreement, the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) associations have vetted Quinlan’s undergraduate and graduate finance curricula to ensure that the programs prepare students for certification exams.
“These partnerships will help us bridge the theory-practice gap and prepare the next generation of women and men equipped with the highest ethical responsibility and financial acumen,” said Abol Jalilvand, Ph.D., Professor of Finance and Ralph Marotta Chair of Free Enterprise at the Quinlan School of Business.
The partnership means that students applying to take the CFA or CAIA external certifications exams will receive mentoring and additional support from Quinlan faculty — a huge advantage for business students looking to strengthen their technical knowledge prior to seeking employment. “For the students who do take full advantage of these new partnerships, the sky’s the limit on where they can go in their careers,” Jalilvand said.
Both William Kelly, CEO of the CAIA Association, and Peter Mackey, Head of Examination Development at the CFA Institute, have said that their organizations look forward to the partnership and working Quinlan’s finance department.
“Loyola University Chicago and its Quinlan School of Business are among the finest institutions of higher learning in this country, and we could not be more pleased to be partnering with them as they help their students not only keep pace but also help dictate the course of the next phase in the development of the alternative investment industry,” Kelly said.
Mackey adds, “The CFA is interested in working with world-class business schools, such as Quinlan to produce the next generation of ethical and honorable investment analysts, with a strong understanding of industry. Therefore, this partnership is essential to reach these students during peak learning opportunities.”