December was a busy month filled with highs and lows, but it was overall a rewarding end to a great semester. A stacked month filled with final projects, presentations, and some much-needed studying added to the whirlwind. But looking back at the semester under our belt, we now get to look forward to applying what we have learned in our upcoming internships.
Final Projects
One thing I really enjoyed about the semester was the group work and being exposed to different cultures and skill sets. Each course had some aspect of group work, which motivated us to improve not only the way we communicate technical details, but also progressed our soft skills and project management abilities.
One highlight, which tied in as a slight benefit of the pandemic, was, surprisingly, the social distancing impact on presentations. Our final presentations for Financial Regulations, given by Dr. John Hull, provided the students the opportunity to present conference style with some interesting Q&A in the grand Desautels Hall, as opposed to the normal lecture hall settings.
Finals Studying
Let’s be honest: studying for finals is the low point in any semester. Catching up on readings, rewriting notes and redoing homework can be tedious, however the relevance of the content made this process quite enjoyable. The material is meant to train students for the rigour and demands of the professional world. Developing a risk-oriented mindset takes diligence and practice, a reward that is proportional to the effort.
Looking Forward
Unfortunately, due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 most of the class’s internships were online only. This was a little disheartening as I initially deferred the start of the program to avoid the zoom-centric method of communication, but we are learning quickly that this is here to stay. All things considered, I am pleased to say that this January I will be joining Wave Financial, a subsidiary of H&R Block.
Having the opportunity to expand and apply our theoretical and practical skills to an actual organization was a major draw to the program for me.
I made the decision after my undergrad in Applied Mathematics and Engineering to transition into financial risk. Without this opportunity to get some real experience through the program, I can honestly say I don't know if I would have pursued this path. This feature is invaluable and unique, and it provides a nice change of pace between the demands of course-based semesters while still improving our skills.
The Master of Financial Risk Management is a full-time program designed to prepare ambitious young professionals for careers in risk management and finance.