Students and Alumni Say …
“The skills I practiced in the KKR Private Equity Case Competition—valuation, due diligence, transaction structuring, etc.—are all things I think about every day in my work. In fact, I would say that the Case Competition, along with my involvement with the Student Investment Fund, was more relevant preparation for my job than anything else at CMC. “Last year, Qatalyst actually advised R1 RCM, the company we analyzed during the first competition, on its sale to two private equity firms. It was amazing to see the hypothetical deal we had spent so much time thinking about turn into reality, and even cooler to be able to walk down the hall and talk to the bankers who had brokered the transaction.”
— John Horan ’24, a dual major in Economics and History and two-time Case Competition winner currently working as an analyst at Qatalyst Partners, a boutique investment bank that specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory for tech companies
“As a student immersed in finance and economics at CMC, I have taken advantage of every offering FEI provides across every niche, from Fintech to asset management to fundamental investing. Professor Dass and Nancy Faust (FEI Assistant Director) have been pillars of support throughout my time at CMC. They have not only enriched my foundation for taking my next step post college, they have treated me with compassion and kindness. “Whether you choose to take part in everything FEI has to offer or just take a single course. FEI is always willing to help students learn and grow in whatever capacity they want to engage with financial economics. I would not be the student I am today without FEI.”
— Rohaan Bhojwani ’26, CEO of the Student Investment Fund and May 2026 candidate for a BA in Economics, as well as an MA in Finance, through the College’s Robert Day School of Finance Graduate Program; post-graduation, Bhojwani will join the Restructuring and Special Situations Group with PJT Partners
CMC’s Financial Economics Institute (FEI) is a powerhouse in preparing students for thriving careers in finance and economics. Established more than 20 years ago and constantly evolving to address critical issues in a rapidly changing industry and society, FEI engages students in advanced research, real-world application, professional networking, and the development of leading-edge skills to ensure they stand out to employers with excellence and experience that matters.
In a recent conversation with Nishant Dass, the Charles M. Stone Professor of Finance and Director of FEI, he revealed how the institute is creating exciting new programs, tackling contemporary challenges, and blending finance with the liberal arts for a uniquely CMC experience.
As you look back on five years as FEI Director, what programs are you most proud to have developed or expanded?
In my role as director, we have created an interdisciplinary course in Fintech; expanded our case competitions from one (finance) to three (adding private equity and real estate); gone from one annual conference (on finance) to three (adding real estate and climate finance); created a Real Estate Finance Networking Trek in addition to the New York City Networking Trek for Finance; and vastly expanded the menu of student clubs in finance.
But the one accomplishment that I am most proud of is the Fintech Practicum. It’s an experiential course in which students get to work on real-world problems in finance using their data skills and training in economics. It started out as a small experiment, but by the end of this academic year, more than 200 students will have completed 50 projects with nearly 35 unique firms.
As the nature of higher education changes and we adapt to a rapidly changing world, courses like this are useful in helping our students build confidence so that they can tackle real-world projects in the workplace once they graduate. Experiences like this also allow students to pitch themselves as candidates who are more than two-dimensional and are greater than their GPA or test grades.
In preparing students for careers in a variety of fields, how does FEI engage with contemporary challenges and opportunities, especially on research projects?
I’ll mention a project that was somewhat inspired by the national attention that the New York City mayoral election received. Specifically, in a Practicum project this fall, sponsored by alumnus Ben Kraus ’11, a team of students analyzed the impact of rent control policy guidelines on the state of the residential real estate market. This is a hotly debated topic because, clearly, access to affordable housing is a very important topic of our times. When the answer is not evident from economic theory, it often comes down to the empirics—what does the data tell us? To formulate a convincing answer, students are using sophisticated econometric techniques. Their findings can have real implications for the residential real estate market in New York City and inform policymaking.
Experiences like this are invaluable because they allow the students to see the relevance of their liberal arts training in addressing difficult yet pressing questions.
CMC’s Los Angeles and New York networking treks also generate meaningful connections and open doors for students off campus. What can students expect to gain from participation in a trek?
Networking treks are a trademark of CMC’s Soll Center for Student Opportunity, and they are highly valuable experiences for both students that have decided on a career path and those still figuring things out. A networking trek that gives them access to industry leaders at some of the most prestigious firms—10-to-20 in a short trip—within the span of a few days is nothing short of transformative. Alumni thriving in the field frequently serve as company or special-event hosts, including Ivan Zinn ’96, Peter Weinberg ’79, and CMC Trustee Doug Peterson ’80 P’14 P’15, who have been invaluable collaborators and mentors over the years. In a nutshell, the networking treks help students connect the dots to a position of leadership in the industry of their choice—they can see what steps they will need to take to build a satisfying and impactful career.
CMC students competed against more than 80 schools in the first-ever national KKR Private Equity Case Competition earlier this year. How did our students do?
The KKR Private Equity Case Competition is especially dear to my heart because we started this on a whim four-five years ago by approaching CMC alums in the industry and then, with the support and creativity of KKR’s Private Equity Director Andrew Bergman ’14, held a student competition within CMC for several years. Last year, KKR decided to hold a national competition among the best schools in the country, and CMC students emerged as the runners-up, competing against Ivy League and other top schools in the country. For those who know CMC, this outcome is not at all a surprise—we know our students stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best in the country.
This competition is yet another piece in building an ecosystem that is bigger than a course. It allows our students to apply their skills in a way that is incomparable to any classroom experience and, of course, gets them the attention of the most prestigious firms in the country.
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this conversation, but what is especially critical to understanding FEI’s mission that is important for you to let the CMC community know about?
How intimately attached finance and the mission of FEI is to the liberal arts! We often think of finance departments in business school settings, but the breadth of exposure to the liberal arts and the depth of training in economics is what makes the work of FEI impactful and our students truly unmatched. I always say that the unique thing about a liberal arts education is that you learn to appreciate the past, understand the present, and prepare for the future. This philosophy guides every program or initiative that we offer at FEI.
Learn more about what makes CMC finance education unique and how emerging technologies are influencing the direction of FEI in our latest episode of CMC Conversations, featuring Professor Dass and Parishi Kanuga ’26.
Register for FEI’s spring conferences, all taking place in the Athenaeum at CMC: Claremont Finance Conference (Feb. 12); Real Estate Finance Conference (March 3); Symposium on Climate Innovation and Finance (April 9).