Message from the Area Coordinator
Dear UTD Finance Alumni,
We are thrilled to have seen many of our Jindal School alumni at the UTD JSOM event in Shanghai. It was such a great opportunity to reconnect with you all. We are very touched by your love and support for our school. It provides us with strong incentive to hold more such alumni events in the future.
Just over a month ago, we successfully held our sixth UT Dallas Finance Conference with about 70 researchers from many top universities presenting their frontier research about various issues interesting to both academia and practitioners. These included the efficiency of remote work for executives, whether the central bank should bail out uninsured deposits, ChatGPT and corporate policies. Our annual finance conference continues to attract significant attention and greatly increases the visibility and reputation of UT Dallas and the Jindal School.
We also successfully presented our Fall Finance Career Fair. Representatives from 25 companies and nearly 300 students attended the event.
With the holiday season approaching, we would like to wish you and your family a healthy and enjoyable holiday season! Please keep in touch!
Dr. Harold Zhang
Professor, Finance and Managerial Economics
Area Coordinator, Finance and Managerial Economics
Naveen Jindal School of Management
Recent Happenings
Finance Area Career Fair
Our first in-person Finance Career Fair since the challenging COVID-19 pandemic was a huge success! The event was co-hosted by JSOM Career Management Center (CMC) and the Finance Area on Sept. 29. Nearly 300 finance students attended and 25 financial companies participated.
The fair unfolded as a celebration of connection and opportunity, heralding a return to the vibrant atmosphere of face-to-face networking. Against the backdrop of a recovering global economy in the post-COVID 19 era, the fair exceeded all expectations, attracting an impressive turnout of both finance students and esteemed finance companies, including Fidelity Investments, Charles Schwab Corporation, AT&T and Toyota.
The fair also showcased a diverse array of opportunities within the finance field, from traditional banking and corporate finance to cutting-edge financial technology. Employers and students engaged in meaningful conversations, forging networking and connections that hold the promise of shaping the future of finance. It also was heartening to watch finance students volunteering — assisting employers with setting up booths, helping CMC staff with student check-in and guiding participants around the venue. After the fair, many students offered feedback, stating it was a very successful event and they were looking forward to another one in the near future.
Garima Gupta, an MS Finance student, said the fair was an ideal opportunity for students to meet employers who are hiring interns and improve their networking.
“The fair is a great way for students to practice their elevator pitches, which is very important for networking,” Gupta said. “Students should grab these types of opportunities to network and build connections with employers and recruiters. It is way more valuable than reaching out to them via LinkedIn.”
Jindal School’s Finance Conference
The UT Dallas 2023 Fall Finance Conference, held Sept. 29-30, brought together academics from several universities to discuss 10 papers that were chosen for presentations from approximately 200 submissions. Nearly 100 researchers and scholars attended the event.
Read more about this conference on Inside Jindal.JSOM Alumni Shanghai Gathering
The Naveen Jindal School of Management, in collaboration with the Shanghai Alumni Association of The University of Texas at Dallas, held a JSOM alumni gathering at the Crowne Plaza Shanghai Silver Star Hotel located in downtown Shanghai, China, on July 8. Dr. Harold Zhang, Finance Area coordinator; Dr. Jun Li, Finance associate professor; Dr. Liping Ma, Finance clinical assistant professor; and Penny Jiang, Finance program manager, attended the gathering.
Read more about this conference on Inside Jindal.Alumni Corner
Pranjal Bhatt is a seasoned finance professional with expertise in commercial banking, business modeling and valuations. He successfully completed his MS in Finance degree in 2022. After graduating, Bhatt became a valued member of the financial valuation and advisory practice at Houlihan Lokey, specifically its strategic finance team. In his current position, he creates custom and standard financial models. These models play a crucial role in helping clients make strategic and operational decisions regarding corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and financial planning.
Bhatt is a firm believer in the value of JSOM’s MS in Finance program. He expresses that the comprehensive curriculum at UT Dallas has equipped him with a competitive advantage in the finance industry. He says the skills he acquired through courses such as financial modeling for valuation, accounting and private equity finance have proven to be highly relevant to his current job profile. Bhatt says he is grateful for the knowledge and expertise he gained during his studies, as they have significantly contributed to his success in the finance profession.
Furthermore, Bhatt emphasizes the importance of actively participating in live case competitions, such as Stock-Trak and Financial Modeling. He recognizes that these competitions provide invaluable hands-on experience that goes beyond theoretical knowledge. He encourages current students to dive into financial databases within the Finance Lab, as this activity enhances their employability in the financial industry. By engaging with real-world financial data and applying their skills in practical scenarios, students can develop a deeper understanding of the industry and gain a competitive edge in their future careers. Bhatt’s own experience has shown him the immense value of these opportunities and he enthusiastically encourages others to take full advantage of them.
According to Bhatt, one of the most memorable aspects of his MS journey at UT Dallas was the opportunity for personal and professional networking. He strongly encourages students to actively connect with their peers, alumni and faculty members, as these connections can be invaluable in both personal and career growth. Bhatt also stresses the importance of finding a mentor who can provide guidance and support during challenging times. By building a strong network and seeking mentorship, students can enhance their educational experience and set themselves up for success beyond their time at UT Dallas.
Faculty Research Corner
Alejandro Rivera, Nam Nguyen and Harold H. Zhang, “Incentivizing Investors for a Greener Economy,” Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Sept. 10, 2023. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3944305
Feng Zhao, Jun Li, Xianwei Liu, Qiang Ye, and Xiaofei Zhao, “It Depends on When You Search,” MIS Quarterly, May 17, 2023. https://ssrn.com/abstract=4370525
Harold Zhang, Li Jun and Leonid Kogan, “Operating Hedge and Gross Profitability Premium,” Journal of Finance , Sept. 13, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/jofi.13275
Jun Li, Xianwei Liu, Qiang Ye, Feng Zhao, Xiaofei Zhao, “It Depends on When You Search,” MIS Quarterly, May 17, 2023. https://ssrn.com/abstract=4370525
Jun Li, Leonid Kogan and Harold H. Zhang, “Operating Hedge and Gross Profitability Premium,” Journal of Finance, Sept. 13, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/jofi.13275
Pingle Wang, Anh Tran, “Barking up the wrong tree: Return-chasing in 401(k) plans,” Journal of Financial Economics, April 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2023.02.004
Robert Kieschnick, Chongyang Chen, “Bank competition and the design of syndicated loans,” The Financial Review, July 6, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/fire.12359
Robert Kieschnick,Wenyu Shi, “Spillover effects in managerial compensation,” Journal of Empirical Finance, January 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jempfin.2022.11.002
Steven Xiao, Umit Gurun, Jiabin Wu, Serena Wenjing Xiao, “Do Wall Street Landlords Undermine Renters’ Welfare?” Review of Financial Studies, January 2023. https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhac017
Steven Xiao, Suman Banerjee, Shiyang Huang, Vikram Nanda, “Managerial Overconfidence and Market Feedback Effects,” Management Science, Jan. 18, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4625
Vikram Nanda, Alexander Vadilyev, “The Corporate Propensity to Dissave,” ,” British Journal of Management, Oct. 4, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4580749
Upcoming Events
For MS in Finance chat session and online Information Session schedules, visit the Master of Science in Finance Flex website.
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This fall, for the first time, enrollment at the Naveen Jindal School of Management surpassed 10,000. New enrollment in the MS Finance program also has returned to normal. Our Graduate Financial Management Council (GFMC) organized a very successful second MS Finance Alumni Networking Event with participation from more than 80 current students and alumni. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to make connections and learn from our alumni about building a successful career. It also was a excellent time for GFMC members to showcase their leadership and organizational skills.
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Our school has been fully back to regular teaching, studying and researching since late August. Under close monitoring of the COVID-19 situation, everything is going smoothly. New student enrollment increased by more than 120% this fall. Here, they receive the best finance education to pursue their desired careers in the financial industry or to pursue more advanced study in finance.
Finance Newsletter - Summer 2021
I would like to begin by congratulating all our May 2021 graduates from the Finance and Managerial Economics Area for successful completion of their degree programs. They overcame a challenging situation during the pandemic and accomplished an important milestone. We are all excited and looking forward to the resumption of back-to-normal life and in-person teaching starting this fall.
Finance Newsletter - Fall 2020
Course registration for spring 2021 began Monday, Nov. 2. As in the fall semester, the University will have a hybrid instructional model with five teaching modalities and the asynchronous option for spring 2021. However, the University plans to increase opportunities to help students connect face to face in small groups during the spring. Read more about the plans for spring on the UT Dallas News Center.
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