I want to express my deepest gratitude to each of you for your generosity. Your dedication has inspired me to achieve more every day.
Your contributions to establishing endowed professorships, acquiring fnancial databases, supporting program areas, and creating scholarships have been instrumental in recruiting and retaining world-class faculty, ofering state-ofthe-art curriculum, and attracting, developing, retaining, graduating, and placing high-quality, diverse students.
I have stepped down as Chair of the Finance Department, and Professor Jaemin Kim has assumed the role of Interim Chair efective July 1, 2024.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for your continued support in helping faculty support students and the business community.
Kamal Haddad, Ph.D. Former Chair Professor, Finance Department
Changing Lives through Program Support
Terry L. Atkinson Endowed Professorship in Finance
The ongoing support of the Terry L. Atkinson Endowed Professorship in Finance helps the Finance Department attract and retain outstanding faculty who will guide our students to success.
Michael and Hillary Kanigher Financial Services Scholarship Endowment
Continued gifts to the Michael and Hillary Kanigher Financial Services Scholarship Endowment provide scholarship support to students majoring in Financial Services in the Finance Department within the Fowler College of Business.
Nielander Alessio Endowed Scholarship in Finance
A generous planned gift to the Nielander Alessio Endowed Scholarship in Finance will provide additional future scholarship support to students in the Finance Program in the Fowler College of Business.
Living the Aztec Experience
Austin Barber, Class of 2024
Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: Fowler College of Business
Major: Finance
Having graduated this May with a degree in Finance from the Fowler College of Business, I've experienced frsthand the profound impact utilizing the vast array of resources San Diego State has to ofer has had on my career trajectory.
Through scholarships and support for programs within the college, the generosity of donors has enabled me to pursue my academic and professional goals confdently. My courses have given me a robust overview of various sectors of the fnance industry and built a foundation that has allowed me to already pass industry exams, like the FINRA Series 7, before graduating.
My involvement in diferent areas, such as Associated Students as the Vice President of Financial Afairs, allowed me to help review a $30 million budget and actively apply the fundamentals I've been learning in the classroom to realworld cases.
With gratitude, I look forward to carrying my experiences from SDSU with me to make a meaningful diference in serving the wealth management sector.
Culminating from all my experiences at SDSU, I am excited to have started working full-time at Morgan Stanley as a Registered Client Service Associate with The Horizons Group in June.
Celebrating Shared Success
Statistics of Interest
300 fnance majors graduated in May 2024.
The demand for Finance continues to grow, as it is currently ranked number fve in degrees university-wide. Finance majors at SDSU have increased 58% since 2016.
Our Financial Markets Lab provides students with hands-on experiences and resources that help them deepen their understanding of the rapidly changing economy. The Lab has 12 Bloomberg Terminals, a stock market ticker display, and the latest classroom technology.
Enrollment has increased signifcantly in property and insurance classes, allowing our students to earn specialized certifcates in these areas as part of their degree.
Recent Highlights
There are currently two student-run investment funds: the Undergraduate Equity Fund (UEF) and the graduate student-run Aztec Equity Fund (AEF). These funds will be ofered next fall as a selfstudy course advised by Professor Kamal Haddad. In this course, students will engage in hands-on learning experiences as they act as Security Analysts for a hypothetical institutional asset management frm, mimicking the structure of real-world asset management frms.
We are excited to announce the launch of our MS Finance degree program, a STEM-designated program, this upcoming fall. We have received 52 applications and admitted 26 students for the Fall 2024 start date. This program is designed for individuals who aim to acquire a blend of technological and fnancial expertise to kickstart or fast-track their career in fnance.
We have elevated our Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA) with a concentration in Financial and Tax Planning to an MS in Financial and Tax Planning degree program.
Our students have received great recognition for their work at SDSU. Nicholas Hodge and Austin Barber received the 2024 San Diego Financial Executives International Outstanding Student Award. Lucas Sorich and Colin Hindman were granted sponsorships to attend the 2023 CFP® Board Conference in Washington D.C. Additionally, a team of Fowler fnance majors, advised by Professor Kamal Haddad, won the San Diego regional CFA Institute Research Challenge, showcasing their analytical prowess in investment recommendation.
New Degree
Launching a new MS fnance degree program, a STEM-designated program, this fall.
Helping to Build a Brighter Future
Kamal Haddad, Ph.D.
Title: Former Department Chair and Professor, Finance Department
College: Fowler College of Business Achievement:
Kamal Haddad received a 2024 Outstanding Faculty Award recognition of his selection as the most infuential university professor in Nicholas Hodge's academic career.
Frank Ryan, Ph.D.
Title: Lecturer, Finance Department, and Sports MBA Program College: Fowler College of Business Achievement:
Frank Ryan received a 2024 Outstanding Faculty Award in recognition of his selection as the most infuential university professor in the academic career of Austin Barber.
