The FINANCIAL — Working with its corporate partners, the McCombs School of Business strives to provide unique and innovative ways for students to engage in experiential education. A recently introduced finance program continues in that pioneering spirit, according to McCombs School of Business.
In fall 2013, Intel and the McCombs Finance Department collaborated to create the Corporate Finance Fellows Program. This program focuses on the diverse world of corporate finance, providing an opportunity for an elite group of MBA students to work on a real-world project, designed by Intel, oriented around corporate finance issues.
With a program-sponsored trip to an Intel facility or office at the end of the spring semester, the student team has the opportunity to present its findings in-person to Intel management. The participating students look forward to that opportunity. "The willingness from both sides of this project is allowing me to leverage the quantitative and qualitative analytical skills I'm acquiring in the McCombs MBA program to produce an actionable recommendation for Intel that can truly add value," says current finance fellow Offir Fatal, MBA '15.
Fatal and the other students were selected for the program based on their interest in both the technology industry and corporate finance careers, their performance in the MBA program, and their responses during an interview process. The current fellows say they are gaining a deeper understanding of corporate finance. "Working with Intel, I have seen how marketing, economics, operations, and especially strategy enter into financial decisions," said Drew Haser, MBA '15. "It is not only about corporate budgeting and forecasting cash flows."
Krista Dittmar, MBA '15, agrees. "Since joining the program, I have not only been able to expand my finance knowledge, but have also gained exposure to leadership at Intel, including the CFO," she said. "Additionally, our team has been given access to leading research organizations and resources, allowing us to understand the complexities of the Internet of Things and the future of machine-to-machine communication."
Intel says it looks forward to benefitting from the outside perspective McCombs students will provide for the company's business challenges. "We are proud to participate in this innovative program. It also demonstrates the strong partnership and collaboration between Intel and the McCombs School of Business," said Curren Krishnan, BBA '99, MPA '99, Intel's Chief of Staff to the CFO.
As part of its long-standing relationship with McCombs, Intel has a strong history of recruiting McCombs students, with many alumni serving in leadership positions throughout the company, including Executive Vice President and CFO Stacy Smith, BBA '85, MBA '88.
"We are very excited about this new program and its place within our curriculum," says Jay Hartzell, chair of the Finance Department "Intel's presence not only provides a benefit to our current students, but it will also help us continue to attract the best and brightest students of the future. We have been looking for the right partner to help us launch a flagship program in corporate finance, and fortunately our vision for this program aligned with Intel’s objectives and ideas," Hartzell says.
The Corporate Finance Fellows Program is set to grow even more impressive. In future years, the program plans to expand to include additional corporate partners, greater opportunities for BBA students to participate, and a second fall course, according to McCombs School of Business.
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