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Written by: Justin Daniel Lawlor
I’m sure that most of us remember our first tours of Bentley’s campus as either a prospective first year or transfer undergraduate students.
Tour guides continuously emphasize Bentley’s more attractive locations and facilities . One of the university’s most successful “selling points” is the Trading Room.
Formally known as the Hughey Center for Financial Services, the Trading Room is often noted as the largest academic trading floor in the nation.
Although it’s easy to dwell on the facility’s flashy dual monitor workstations, ticker tapes, and 42” LCD televisions, the question remains: how can the Trading Room enhance students’ educations and level of career preparedness?
Well, like most things in life, if you don’t have a willingness to learn, then chances are you won’t gain much from the Trading Room. It’s quite possible, depending on major and laziness factor, for students to complete four years at Bentley without any exposure to the Trading Room’s software. Like the ACELAB, CLIC and CMT, all majors and class levels are welcome to utilize the facility.
Students planning to enter the fields of corporate finance, investment banking, asset management, or sales and trading are extremely likely to come across the financial research platforms of Bloomberg and FactSet, both of which are available in the Trading Room.
Students can simply walk in, grab a seat at any of the computers, and explore each of the software platforms at their own pace.
For those who would rather receive a bit of assistance in navigating the key functions of the software programs, mini-classes are offered nearly every day of the week and, again, are open to all students.
One of the most valuable offerings of the Trading Room is the Bloomberg equity and fixed-income certification program. For those without any prior experience, a Bloomberg terminal can be slightly intimidating.
The keyboard looks somewhat foreign, and the breadth of information that can be obtained from a Bloomberg is overwhelming in itself, yet the opportunity to become certified (and it is free) is simply too good to pass up.
One popular program with the students is the ability to obtain Bloomberg certifications with a focus in either Equities or Fixed Income.
The completion of the certification requires passing three introductory courses followed by five courses in either Equities or Fixed income, depending on which certification is being pursued.
Certification conveys to possible future employers that you have at least some degree of prior experience with the software and that you are, above all else, eager to learn.
Whether it’s due to laziness, intimidation, or an already time consuming schedule, quit with the excuses and make a stop by.
Sit in on a mini-class, attend one of the weekly Roundtable Series held during each Monday activity period, or make it a priority to finally become proficient with the software or become Bloomberg certified.
It has become all too common to hear of what Bentley lacks rather than what the campus does, have offer.
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Many recognize the Trading Room for its technology but miss the most important contribution to Bentley as the center of the finance community. The Hughey Center for Financial Services is where more collaborative work and interaction between undergraduates, graduates, staff, and finance facuty occur than anywhere else on campus. Ask recent finance alumni to explain their success and many will point to the skills, knowledge, and relationships developed at the Trading Room.
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