Lehigh Wall Street Council hosts Financial Forum

The Lehigh Wall Street Council hosted its 18th annual Financial Services Forum on Oct. 5 at the Ben Franklin Tech Ventures building for students interested in networking with industry professionals and alumni.

According to the Lehigh Wall Street Council website, the forum connects students with alumni from various sectors of finance including investment banking, wealth management, sales and trading, fintech, asset management and private equity. 

Rekha Nayar, ‘12, said she’s one of many alumni who attributes her achievements to the connections made through the forum. 

Nayar said although she entered Lehigh during the 2008 financial crisis and graduated in a period of rapid technological change, she still found success as an investment banker. 

“Coming out of college during that time was intimidating,” Nayar said. “The economy was still recovering, and most banks weren’t actively recruiting on campus.”

However, she said events like the forum offered advice and connections. Her interaction with alumni even helped her secure an internship at UBS Global Wealth Management, which later turned into a full-time offer.

Lehigh Wall Street Council kicks off the 18th annual Financial Services Forum on Oct. 5 in the Ben Franklin Tech Ventures building on Mountaintop. Industry-wide alumni and professionals network with students about sectors like investment banking, wealth management and real estate. (Linus Carrier/B&W Staff)

One of the forum’s focuses is diversity and inclusion in finance, and the event this year was followed by a women’s networking session.

Michele Finder, ‘91, the president of the Lehigh Wall Street Council, said when she attended Lehigh, the student body was largely male, and the finance industry was even more male-dominated. 

Finder said there were dedicated panels for women to hear from successful female alumni who have broken barriers in the industry.

“Events like this are critical in helping young women see that there is a place for them at the table,” Finder said.

Finder also said students don’t need to be finance majors to attend the annual forum or pursue a career in the field. 

She said many alumni who have found success on Wall Street or in financial services come from different academic backgrounds including engineering, liberal arts and sciences. 

A well-rounded education, combined with strong networking skills, can open doors to a variety of opportunities in finance, Finder said.

“Having math skills is great, but that’s not the only thing that defines your career path,” Finder said. “People switch careers all the time, and your liberal arts background or writing skills might be the key to succeeding in another area of finance.

Sean Shvo, ‘28, an integrated business and engineering major with a focus in financial engineering, said he attended the forum to learn about fintech and talk with alumni in the wealth management sector. 

He said he spoke with someone who helped explain things about the field he was previously unaware of. 

Shvo said his conversations with alumni showed him that working hard for a few years will eventually pave the way to a career in wealth management. He said he is planning on participating in the forum again next year and is particularly interested in learning about venture capitalism.

Christine Corcoran-Bailey, ‘90, who also attended the forum, said she decided to go into trading after graduating from Lehigh with a degree in English and journalism. 

Bailey said during her time as an undergraduate student, resources like the Iacocca Institute and Lehigh Women in Finance weren’t available to her, but the university has become more “well-rounded” since then. 

“I didn’t have those same support systems back then,” Bailey said. “It’s not just known as an engineering school anymore. I would encourage everyone to take advantage of everything Lehigh has to offer.” 

Michael Connor, ‘80, a founding member of the Lehigh Wall Street Council said this year’s forum had the largest turnout yet with over 200 participants in attendance.

He said he and the rest of the board members hope to broaden the event to students in every discipline. 

“We’re aiming to communicate more with other parts of the university,” Connor said. “Next year we expect an even bigger turnout — hopefully with a bigger room.”