"Working with the Nicholas Center provided me with an experience incomparable to any other college. On every engagement, my team was confronted with problems to solve in a real-time setting and was challenged to apply complicated concepts outside the academic vacuum. This benefited me greatly as I was exposed to more diverse and complex issues and was involved in situations for which no textbook answer existed. "
Ashok Vishnubhakta
Nicholas Undergraduate Research
Analyst (2004)
A select group of undergraduates from the Investment Banking Club (IBC) have become an integral part of the Nicholas experience. The initiation of involving undergraduates was proposed by IBC members Ashok Vishnubhakta and Timothy Hotchandani in 2003, who recognized the mutual benefits for undergraduates pursuing careers in the financial communities and the research assistance they could offer the Nicholas teams.
The main role of the undergraduates is to provide assistance and analysis on projects so the Nicholas MBAs may expediently offer analysis and recommendations to the project sponsors.
Examples of the type of research and support that the undergraduates provide are:
- Identifying the market of a particular product or product group and determining the viability of different channels of distribution,
- Analyzing the security choice issue, determining the value of the security issuance and examining which underwriters to use,
- Determining whether proposed investments in companies or divestments of subsidiaries will be viable and profitable, and researching past cash distributions and determining the financial and market effects.
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| Undergraduate Research Analyst alum Punil Bhula, Matt Condon (Nicholas 2006) and Kristy Hofkens (Nicholas 2006) |
Valuable Management Experience for Corporate Finance MBAs
In addition to the support and research assistance that the undergraduates provide to the Nicholas teams, the broadened team base offers the MBAs the opportunity to delegate and manage young professionals who will be analysts and consultants in the financial community upon graduation.
| "Having the undergrads on our team added another dimension to the Nicholas experience: Leadership. We learned how to lead, direct, and coordinate the work of our undergraduate team members to keep our projects continuously advancing; all things that were invaluable to our careers." |
Peter Scholke (Nicholas 2005) |
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| Undergraduate Research Analyst alums Lucas Devos, Jeff Huss, Punil Bhula and Paul Kauders |
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| Undergraduate Research Analyst alum Jamie Shah, Roberto Morales-Siordia (Nicholas 2001) & John Bradley (Nicholas 2007) |
Prior Consulting Engagements |
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Fall '08 Projects |
Spring '09 Projects |
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Fall '07 Projects |
Spring '08 Projects |
3rd Round Projects |
4th Round Projects |
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Fall '06 Projects |
Spring '07 Projects |
3rd Round Projects |
4th Round Projects |
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Previous Nicholas Projects |
Spring '06 Projects |
3rd Round Projects |
4th Round Projects |
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