Testimonials |
| I think a lot of the Nicholas Center. The notion of practical and real-world application of classroom learning is an awesome idea. There is a real divide between the purity of the theory of finance and the murkiness of its application. The attempt to try to bridge that is genius. I've been lucky to have a couple of consulting projects done by Nicholas teams and they have been great. |
Doug Baird Co-Head of Equity Capital Markets Banc of America |
| The Nicholas program takes finance theory and puts it into practical application. You learn to work with companies to solve real problems. You learn not only how to solve financial problems, but also how to package and communicate your solutions. This is something that is best learned from experience. For finance professionals, one of the key determiners of your ability to progress is, first, to be able to use theory and analytics to help companies become more valuable to their shareholders, and second, to be able to take those ideas and package and communicate them in a way that people can understand. The Nicholas Center gives students a unique opportunity not only to solve finance problems, but also to get experience in packaging and communicating the solutions. |
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Melinda Mount CFO Entertainment& Device Division Microsoft |
After I made the personal decision that it was time for me to go back to school, I began researching programs online only to discover that every schools' website claims to offer the same "focused education". Next, I began visiting schools, but found right after reputation and quality of education, there were two factors that were very important to me in choosing a graduate school. I wanted a specialized experience with a personal approach. I was unsure if anything in Wisconsin would be a good fit for me, so I scheduled a visit to the Wisconsin School of Business during its next information session in order to get a better idea of what it is I was immediately impressed by the fact that the director of Admissions was at the information session, which led me to believe this is an important decision to them and something they don't take lightly. I stayed after the program and spoke with the director at length about Wisconsin's specialized approach and how it is so different from other schools who make similar claims. We discussed how the accomplished advisory board and tenured faculty ensure the curriculum is up to date and delivered in a meaningful manner. I could definitely get a sense that something was going on here in Madison that I wanted to be a part of. In addition, the personal demeanor of the staff was refreshing. In light of my background, I was especially interested in the specialization model at Wisconsin. I had a BBA and seven years of business experience, including some management. The last thing I wanted was to sit in general classes with people who don't know the first thing about business or management. This was not the case at the Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking. Many of the students were already accomplished, and similar to me, were looking for their next competitive edge. The curriculum of the Nicholas Center is designed to prepare you for the executive level. Meeting with Terry Maxwell, an ex managing director at a well know investment bank, gave me a first-hand impression of what to expect in the field. Actual consulting engagements and case studies put you in the shoes of an executive solving real-world issues. I have completed the first year of my MBA and have landed a meaningful internship with a well known company. So I am very happy with my decision to attend the Wisconsin School of Business. However, the real payoff will be down the road when the knowledge and peer support that I received pursuing my MBA prepares me to add value to the shareholders' bottom line. |
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Papi Valmond Nicholas 2010 |
| I am personally indebted to the University of Wisconsin, the School of Business and the Nicholas program for the amazing experience I had during the MBA and more importantly for providing a solid foundation for my professional career. ...The Nicholas Center provided me the opportunity to prove myself and demonstrate my skills to multiple real-world clients; an opportunity that cannot be replicated in the classroom or any case study. |
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| Sachin Tulyani Director - Private Debt & Equity Northwestern Investment Management Co., LLC |
| The most valuable aspect of the Nicholas program was the exposure to real business issues that enabled relevant training in areas that are fundamental to what I do today. Some elements that are highlighted by the nature of the program and I highly value include: the emphasis on tight deadlines, the need to quickly identify key issues, opportunities for intellectual debates and lively discussions, encouragement of others' interests and strengths, and communicating effectively. All of these are essential to my current position. Nicholas helped me prepare for what I do on a day -to-day basis: present multi-million dollar strategic investment recommendations to different levels of management at Best Buy, including its executive team. |
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Ben Morales |
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