The G51 Venture Capital Scholar Program

by Khanh

In my last post, I briefly talked about my decision to attend the Carroll School and how much I enjoyed the applied learning aspect of the program here. This time, I would like to delve deeper into my favorite program, the G51 Venture Capital Scholar, and relay my experience so far.

The program was started approximately ten years ago by Rudy Garza, the Founder and Managing Partner of G51 Capital. Initially, Rudy was working with a couple of in-state institutions in Texas, including UT Austin and Baylor University. Thanks to its overwhelming success, the program quickly grew to a national level and, as of this fall, involved more than ten top tier institutions, including MIT, Harvard, Northwestern, Duke, and Boston College.

For every school, Rudy aims at selecting three to four graduate students from diverse backgrounds, such as business, engineering, and computer science. All share the same passion for entrepreneurship and venture capital. Working with Rudy and the other Managing Partners has been a fantastic experience and, frankly, my learning curve has grown exponentially over the course of three months.

During the program, G51 Scholars are expected to fulfill the following tasks: deal flow review, communication with entrepreneurs, local deal flow and specific projects as assigned by the Managing Partners. Says Rudy, “Our goal is to create an exceptional network of future business leaders grounded in technology innovation and entrepreneurship. We are connecting with the best business schools and entrepreneurial institutions, in the United States and internationally, to enable a global renaissance of science and technology commercialization.”

Since G51 invests in hardware, software, clean technology and internet service companies, the Scholars have plenty of freedom to carry out the sourcing process. So far, I represented G51 at a number of start-up events, including the MIT Bootcamp, Harvard Cyberposium, and the Babson Entrepreneurship Forum. In addition, another rewarding aspect of the program is our exposure to some inspiring visitors in the field of technology entrepreneurship during our teleconference. At one point, I found myself pitching a company to Rudy, without realizing that Lee Walker, the first President of Dell Computing, was also in the room. Thankfully, his follow-up comments were positive.

The G51 Venture Capital Scholar Program has been an amazing journey for me here at BC. I look forward to continuing my commitment to the program in the spring.

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

Follow the Eagle

by Khanh

“Teacher, why did you decide to come here instead of Hawaii? I heard that place is like a paradise,” asked one of my students. I winked at her and answered, “Well, this place is like a paradise to me too, because I have always wanted to come here and realize your dream.” We were sitting under the burning sun in Save, a small town about two and a half hours away from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. It was mid-August and I was teaching a group of aspiring high school students from all over Rwanda about entrepreneurship and leadership skills, thanks to a program organized by my alma mater, Babson College. I knew I always wanted to pursue a field in which I could help people grow their businesses. Fortunately, I can rekindle that desire at my new home—the Boston College Carroll School of Management.

Back in April, it was not a difficult decision to pick BC and send my regrets to other institutions, since, as I mentioned above, the Carroll School could help carry on my dream. Not only does it have an intensive and solid curriculum in asset pricing and management, the Carroll School also provides students with practical opportunities to get their hands dirty in the fields of entrepreneurship, private equity and venture capital. One of my favorite classes so far has been the G51 Venture Capital Scholar Program. Partnering with G51 Capital, an early stage venture capital based in Austin, Texas, the Carroll School is one of only five schools in the country selected to participate. Through a period of up to two semesters, this highly selective program provides graduate students with a unique opportunity for hands-on learning and mentorship with G51 Managing Partners. Particularly, students get to review, analyze and evaluate business plans each week, and share their investment recommendations with other graduate students and the G51 Partners. They are invited to partake in Deal Flow Review meetings and listen to the entrepreneurs’ pitches.

Moreover, the Carroll School offers graduate students opportunities to participate in the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) and the Entrepreneurship Clinic program. The VCIC offers selected students an opportunity to act as venture capitalists during a national elevator pitch competition, in which they have to compete with other top graduate programs. The Entrepreneurship Clinic program provides students an opportunity to act as business planning advisers to real entrepreneurs who are seeking valuable advices in different fields including law, marketing, finance, accounting, etc.

Clearly, all these wonderful programs are keeping me busy, but I am happy knowing that, as soon as I receive valuable knowledge and theories from my professors, I get to apply them right away in the real world. For more information about other applied learning programs that the Carroll School offers, you can check out this link.

The BC community embraces the words of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order, "Go set the world aflame." I am certainly excited and happy to be a part of this mission. Please check back this blog regularly to look for updates on my journey.

An Interview with Daniel Jones

by Lynne

To the right is Mr. Daniel Jones. He has graciously allowed me to interview him. Please excuse my interviewing abilities. 

Hi Danny, tell me a little about yourself:

-I am a current MSF student. I was an accounting undergraduate major at Marquette and worked in the field as an auditor for three years before coming to Boston College. 

Why did you decide to come to Boston College?

-I want to switch my career to one in investment management. BC has one of the top Finance programs in the country and Boston is a major hub for the asset management industry. BC offers an exhaustive alumni network that is always willing to help and I embrace its Jesuit philosophy.

What class are you enjoying this semester?

-I really enjoy CIRM.  

What’s CIRM?

 -Curriculum in Investment Research Management 

Can you describe the class a bit?

-It is a three stage course. The first stage is an introduction to investment research and the second stage is a competition where the teams in the class compete to manage the Boston College Endowment. Throughout the semester we had various industry professionals come in and speak to the class about their experiences. These individuals were aware of the competition we were in and provided us with advice to help formulate our strategies. 

Interesting, what is the competition process?

-We had four teams in the class and each team came up with an investment philosophy/strategy. We each then conveyed our strategies to the Board of Trustees through an RFP (request for proposal ) and presentation.

Was that nerve racking?  How did you guys do?

-A little bit but we were confident in our strategy and proud of work regardless of the outcome. We ended up earning one of the two spots and we are currently managing part of the endowment. 

Wow, congratulations! You mentioned three phases, what is the third phase?

 -The third phase is the actual management of the endowment. Our group meets on a weekly basis and we discuss specific investment ideas such as stock and bond holdings. Based on our research and discussions, we have created a portfolio and we report our performance to Professor Howe monthly. We have two scheduled presentations with him throughout the semester where he asks us about our meetings and why we chose different stocks; he acts as the client. 

So CIRM perfectly correlates with your career goals.

-Absolutely.

Spring Semester Kick Off

by Lynne

It is two weeks away from Spring Break and I can honestly say I am truly enjoining all of my classes this semester. I am finishing up my MSA degree this semester by taking my last three required courses and I am starting to delve into my MSF degree with my second course. I am taking Financial Statement Analysis with Professor Bradshaw which is a case-based class with tons of class discussion. He really expects his students to come to class prepared and ready talk. My second accounting course is Assurance and Consulting Services with Professor Husk which is a mixture between cases and lectures. My third and last accounting course is Management of Financial Institutions with Professor Manzon. This class is great because you truly get a deeper understanding of the effects of taxes on various investment opportunities. My fourth and last class is Investments with professor Muravyev.

I am not sure if I have already mentioned this in my previous post but I am a MSA/MSF representative on the Graduate Management Association. The GMA is the elected student government of CSOM and its mission is to "enhance the professional, academic and social graduate student experience through, but not limited to, club activities, programming recommendations, and social events." (For more information on the GMA, check out its homepage: http://www.bc.edu/clubs/gma/index.htm).

Each semester, every program in the Graduate Carroll School of Management is provided with funds to put on some sort of activity for current students. Since we did not use our funds from the previous semester, we decided to have two events this semester. Our first event was a "Welcome Back" event at Jose McIntyre's where students were given drink tickets, finger foods and the opportunity to interact with current classmates outside of a school setting. We had an amazing turnout from both the MSA program and the MSF program and I'm positive everyone had a great time.

MSA/MSF?

by Lynne

If you've read my "About Me", I am sure you are wondering why is a Biology graduate pursuing her MSA/MSF? Why the change?

You are definitely not the first nor the last individual to ask that question. I always excelled in the Sciences throughout high school and figured that a career in the Healthcare industry would provide me with a stable job that will always be in demand around the world (my family is from Brazil and I thought that I might want to live there in the future). I decided to pursue a BS in Biology during my undergraduate career and to look into the various career paths available. During my summers, I worked in research labs and at the end of the second summer, I decided that research was not for me: I was on the wrong side of the Healthcare Industry.

A friend of mine in CSOM suggested that I take a couple business courses to see if they would interest me. With her recommendation I took a course called Persepectives on Management taught by John Clavin and Richard Powers, both graduates of Boston College who have gone on to have very successful careers. This class was a combination of case studies, lectures and a weekly outside speaker (usually a BC alumnus). It provided me with the opportunity to learn about the management of a variety of different industries including not-for-profits, large accounting firms, entrepeneiural ventures, the healthcare industry, etc. The experiences of the our guest speakers really resonated with me. After enjoying and exceeding in this class I went on to take Accounting and Finance courses in CSOM.

With my senior year underway, I decided that I should continue my academic career after graduation. I began looking into Master's degree programs and I was excited to find that Boston College had a MSA/MSF degree that could be tailored to a non-business degree undergraduate. I felt as though the MSA degree would provide me with a strong foundation in the "language of business" and that the MSF degree would allow me to pursue my goal of working on the corporate finance side of a pharmaceutical or healthscience company. December came around, I applied and I was accepted!

With that said and done, its been a crazy 6 months with my May graduation, summer classes and now my fall classes. Luckily, I have managed to meet some great new people in my classes as well as others through the Graduate Management Association (I'm a rep woot woot!)