Westminster College Student Tyler Walker from St. Louis Learns About Wall Street Firsthand

2014 Mar 10

Standing on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange is a rare view of the financial world few ever experience. Yet Tyler Walker, a senior from St. Louis, MO, and twenty-four other Westminster College students had that opportunity thanks to the advance work of College alumni as they learned about the world of Wall Street firsthand on their recent visit to New York City Feb.19-23.

These members of the Blue Blazer Investment Committee (BBIC) gained an insider look at America's business and financial center as well as having some free time to enjoy the cultural and tourism attractions of New York City.

"Spending five days in New York City with twenty-five of my classmates was the experience of a lifetime; however, I did not know the impact this experience would bring," says senior Grace Clifton from Columbia, Mo. "New York provided the opportunity to take what I have learned in the classroom and link it to real life."

Clifton says through visits with important financial leaders, some of the lessons she learned were the importance of staying informed; the value of being able to communicate with co-workers, managers and CEOs; the need to keep an eye on market trends in energy, manufacturing and technology and the new leaders their innovation breeds; and the necessity of understanding the relationship between financial statements.

Highlights of the trip were attending the Opening Bell Ceremony at NASDAQ OMX and visits to NYSE Euronext, JP Morgan Asset Management, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Fox Business Network, Bloomberg Business News, Greenhouse Funds, LP and the Museum of American Finance, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. At Fox Business Network, they were actually on the set of Varney and Company during the show.

"This is one of the special, real world educational experiences that Westminster gives our students to prepare them to lead and achieve in our global economy," says Westminster President Dr. George B. Forsythe. "Our graduates often have the edge in this highly competitive job market because of opportunities such as this one."

The group enjoyed a reception and presentation at The Churchill Tavern on the night of their arrival, hosted by James Gentile, co-founder of Greenhouse Funds, LP. The next night they dined on Italian cuisine at Carmine's thanks to the help of sponsor Don Lofe, '79, Interim Chief Financial Officer of LIIF, a community development financial institution. Dave Mee, '82, who is Chief Financial Officer for J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., joined the group for dinner. On Friday, they were given a walking tour of Wall Street by Greg Brennan, '86. Westminster alumni Frank Turner,'84, and Greg Richard, '88, treated the group to a reception at the NYC Athletic Club that evening. The financial support of Turner, Richard, Brennan, Mee and Lofe along with the help of a number of former Blue Blazers, all contributed to make a highly successful trip for the students.

"Every one of our Blue Blazers returns from New York with advice for being successful in the market world and guidance for their careers," says Ayers. "Frequently, the time they are able to spend with Westminster alumni that are working in the New York financial markets opens up doors for them, leading to internships and employment."

Established in 1996, the Blue Blazers Investment Committee is a selective, student maintained investment committee that encourages intellectual growth and educates undergraduates on the use of investment vehicles in capital markets.

In 1996, the Westminster Board of Trustees allocated college endowment funds to the Blazers to invest in the stock market. Currently, the group is managing $450,000. The students do extensive research and then buy and sell equities to build and manage an actual investment portfolio. The group is self-governing and enjoys great autonomy over investment decisions. They are free to buy and sell stocks and other options. Through this experience, they receive the rare opportunity to experience how investing in the stock market works firsthand.

This was the group's seventh visit to New York. They have been featured on CNBC twice. During their first tour, they were able to stand in the twin towers. Ironically, the 9-11 attacks took place exactly seven months to the hour of the day of their visit.

The trip is always planned and coordinated by Brock Ayers, '82, the founder of the Blue Blazers Investment Committee and mentor to the group, and the group's advisor, Dr. Edward Mirielli, Chair of the Computer Science Department, with the assistance of Wells Fargo Advisors. Ayers is a Financial Advisor and First Vice-President-Investments at Wells Fargo Advisors and is a member of the Westminster College Board of Trustees. Dr. Mirielli and he have planned all seven trips together. Past President of the Blue Blazers, Brad Crecelius, and current President, Will Megl, also helped with the planning.

"This is truly a team effort to make this trip possible with private sector and the academic community partnering together," says Ayers. "It is very much a cooperative process."

Founded in 1851, Westminster College is one of the top liberal arts colleges in America, according to all major educational ranking firms including U.S.News & World Report, Forbes magazine, The Princeton Review and Washington Monthly. National high school counselors recognize Westminster as one of the Top Two Liberal Arts Colleges in Missouri to receive the best education. This selective college for men and women operates on two campuses, one an 86-acre residential campus in Fulton, MO, and a second Southwestern urban campus in the vibrant downtown of Mesa, AZ. Westminster is a challenging academic environment where students are educated to lead and inspired to achieve. Ninety-six percent of Westminster graduates start their first job or enroll in graduate or professional schools within six months of graduation.

To learn more about Westminster College, people can visit the College web site at www.westminster-mo.edu.

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PHOTO OF WESTMINSTER STUDENTS, ADVISORS, AND NEW YORK ALUMNI POSING NEXT TO THE WALL STREET BULL IN BOWLING GREEN PARK IN MANHATTAN ATTACHED WITH THIS IDENTIFYING CAPTION:

Left to right:

First row: Lauren Dolniak, Grace Clifton, Abby Ryan, Caroline Ayers, Paula Moscoso, Megan Gunnels, Lindsey Mirielli, Sarah Ayers, and Connor Hollrah

Back row: Jason Joshua, Lake Moore, Orinda Basha, Greg Brennan, Joe Garwood, Dylan Ross, Ross Senda, Michael Sweeney, Karim AlHusaini, Brad Creclius, Ryne Fletcher, Tyler Walker, Marcelo Giebink, Sarah Keostner, Amelia Ayers, Ryan Harrison, Will Megl, George Carr, alum, Yaseen Alhaj-Yaseen (professor), Shannon Baker, Claire Gibby, Brock Ayers, and Don Lofe.