The Burridge Center for Finance
True to its mission to enhance and elevate finance at Leeds, building superior innovation and talent, the Burridge Center for Finance is committed to supporting the key initiatives of the Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business, expanding our reach into both the diverse student population and the global financial services industry.
The Burridge Center offers experiences that bring our stakeholders together to provide networking, access to industry, and a platform to recognize the thought leadership published by the finance division of Leeds. Our three primary stakeholder groups are students, faculty and our external partners/alumni.
Our experiential programs are delivered on and off campus. The more we can bring the three stakeholder groups together, the more the magic of connection and learning happens. For instance, when we take students out into the world for a Finance Trek (to San Francisco, LA, Chicago, NY or Denver), we often collaborate with Leeds Advancement team to arrange for an alumni reception so that the students and alumni can network. On campus, we hold events like our Funding Innovation Panel (11/7/24), at which we have an even mix of student and industry leaders attending the reception to create for a robust networking opportunity with a real-world feel. Whether the students are networking with alumni or industry professionals, these unique opportunities give the students the chance to polish their business social and presentation skills, and gain confidence to use those skills for interviews and the networking necessary to launch their careers.
The Spring Burridge Sustainable Finance Conference, also held on campus, once again brings together our three stakeholder groups. This conference, upon which our Center was founded, creates a forum to spotlight the thought leadership of our finance faculty at Leeds. Our esteemed faculty present their research that approaches an issue from a theoretical point of view. The academic presentation is followed by an industry panel to provide the point of view of what happens in practice. The Burridge conference creates a forum for robust dialogue and discourse. The students get to see the different perspectives one can take when looking at a current issue in finance: from theory to practice.
Finally, the Burridge Center supports several student-run finance clubs and case competitions to allow students hands-on experiences. The Center staff advise the club leaders and help the students to find relevant industry speakers to fit their various programming goals. There are many examples of hands-on work being done by these student leaders, such as the CFA Equity Research Challenge, the Leeds Investment & Trading Group (LITG) manages a portfolio of real CU Foundation money, and in the fall of 2024, the Burridge Center arranged for several women club leaders to travel to St. Mary’s high school to present to the St. Mary’s Business Club. These opportunities provide valuable leadership experience and resume building opportunities for our students – GO BUFFS!
To learn more, visit the Burridge Center offices at KOELBEL 302 or follow us on LinkedIn by clicking the QR code in the collage!