There was always a buzz in the Wellde Capital Markets Trading Room (Duquès Hall 155) each time I walked by during my freshman year at GW: small cohorts of students seemingly the most engaged I had ever seen, the tops of heads poking above the Bloomberg Terminal monitors, and the ticker tape infinitely scrolling. I knew I wanted to be in that environment the second I walked by.
With the start of the fall 2022 semester, I found myself sitting in the Wellde Capital Markets Trading Room room taking the GW Phillips Student Investment Fund course. The semester quickly picked up pace as I began scouring the Consumer Discretionary & Staples sector for interesting long-term investment recommendations. Armed with FactSet, my peers and I were equipped with an industry tool to evaluate comparable companies, perform transaction analyses, conduct detailed stock screenings, and read Wall Street equity research reports. FactSet was an invaluable tool in forming my investment recommendation to buy Kellogg Co., (K) and sell General Mills, Inc., (GIS). My investment thesis was to add value to the portfolio through Kellogg’s proposed spin-off transaction.
Similarly, the incorporation of FactSet enabled me to seamlessly integrate its tools into how I began to think about investing and capital markets. When I hear of an interesting opportunity, the first thing I do is check FactSet, giving me a general overview and understanding in order to develop an informed opinion. The vast amount of information has enhanced my comprehension of financial markets and analysis furthering my interest in a career in investment management.
My experience in the GW Phillips Student Investment Fund course was one of the most memorable and truly engaging courses I have taken at GW. Having access to tools used by investment professionals in an academic environment is an enriching experience.
On GW’s Giving Day (April 4th and 5th), the GW Investment Institute needs your help continuing to provide students like me an experiential learning experience. Please support the GW Investment Institute in reaching its goal of $30,000 to provide students FactSet for the year.
Best regards,
William Ahrens, BS ‘25, Finance
In the fall of 2022, Will was enrolled in the GW Phillips Student Investment Fund course and this spring he is enrolled in Venture Capital course with the GWII.