Introducing...

by Christopher

By ways of a late introduction, my name is Chris and I'm a Full-Time MSF student in the Carroll School of Management.

I know, I know, you've been reading these posts and everyone is either a Full-Time MSF or MBA student in the Carroll School here at Boston College. What makes me different? After I chose Boston College, Boston College chose me. That's because I'm a "Double Eagle."

Here's the part where I explain why I decided to come to Boston College and pursue my Master's in Finance. But that story begins nearly five years ago, as I was in the midst of undergraduate college applications. When I visited Boston College for the first time, I fell in love. The beautiful campus, the strategic location right outside the city, the homey feeling, and of course the fall New England weather, pulled me to Chestnut Hill like static cling from a helium balloon. After receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Economics this past May from the College of Arts and Sciences, I knew I had to come back.

Most of my finance-related experience was personal - that is, non-academic. Though I took a number of electives in the school of management as an undergrad, my focus on economics detracted from my ability to foster and cultivate my expertise in financial theory - my other passion. Sure, I was trading stocks on an almost-daily basis during my sophomore year, and served as the Vice-President of the Boston College Investment Club during my junior and senior years, but if you asked me about the assumptions of the capital asset pricing model I would've been totally lost. So I came back to the place I called my second home for four years to get in some more schooling before going out into the "real world" - because a place like this makes you want to kick that can down the road for as long as possible.

So here I am - enrolled in the graduate program, taking four night classes while working as a Graduate Assistant. And I must say, the program is great. In the first seven weeks of the semester, we've already had a career fair, countless information sessions, and on-campus interviews. In addition, we've had numerous networking opportunities both on and off-campus, as well as multiple chances to reach out to recruiters about open job positions. I think you see where I'm going - Boston College has an amazing network. I know, lots of people say that. And even more people question how BC can have such a tight alumni network given how large of a university it is. But that's just it. Even if you didn't sit next to the head recruiter at your dream job during your seven-person senior seminar and grab dinner with the director of human resources after completing a group project, BC grads are BC grads through and through.

It's purely because Boston College graduates take so many different trajectories and career paths that going to a large school like BC gives you the benefit of a high-volume network and also a close-knit network. And for me that was really it - the people. I came back to BC because of the people, and I don't just mean the network. The students, the professors, the administrators, all the way to the man who starts his day cleaning Fulton Hall just as my day is ending - they're all classic. They're all great, wonderful, inspiring people, who each have a story to tell. And I'm here to listen to all their stories.

Until next time,
Christopher