School of Business Administration

From the trading floors of Chicago to the boardrooms of New York City, students from the Davis Center for Portfolio Management are taking their education far beyond the classroom. These immersive trips to major financial hubs offer more than just impressive skyline views—they provide hands-on learning, invaluable networking opportunities, and direct access to some of the most influential names in the industry. With every site visit, panel discussion, and alumni reception, Davis Center students gain real-world insights, build meaningful connections, and leave better prepared to launch their careers in finance.

This spring, both juniors and seniors traveled to industry-leading firms in two major cities. In New York, 16 juniors—led by Professor Dan Kapusta—attended the renowned G.A.M.E. Forum, a premier student investment conference drawing top minds from across the globe. But the learning began well before the first keynote.

The group kicked off their NYC experience with a tour of Bloomberg’s headquarters, led by Neil Sipes ’17. As one of the world’s top financial data and media companies, Bloomberg is best known for its Bloomberg Terminals—powerful tools that deliver real-time analytics, trading platforms, and market data to firms worldwide. Often called the “Cadillac” of investment software, these terminals are a familiar sight to students who train regularly on the twelve located in the Davis Center or the three more found in the Hanley Center. Sipes offered a behind-the-scenes look at Bloomberg’s fast-paced environment and shared his journey from UD to a thriving career on Wall Street.

Next, students visited IBM, where they were welcomed by CFO Jim Kavanaugh ’88 and IBM Americas CFO David Howard. A panel of regional CFOs spoke on career paths, leadership, and innovation. Students even got a surprise hands-on experience—competing on IBM’s AI-powered ping-pong table, which used watsonx to analyze performance and generate post-match commentary. The visit concluded with a networking session where students connected one-on-one with IBM executives and interns.

That evening, the Flyer network came to life during an alumni reception at the New York Athletic Club, hosted by Val Taubner ’88. Nearly 60 alumni and students gathered to share advice, connections, and reflections. Andrew Kohnen ’26 noted, “With our trips to IBM and Bloomberg and the networking events, it was apparent how loving the Dayton community is—even in a different city.”

At the G.A.M.E. Forum, students heard from financial leaders like Anthony Ressler (Co-founder of Apollo Global Management), Blerina Uruci (Chief US Economist at T Rowe Price), David Kelly (Chief Global Strategist  at J.P. Morgan Asset Management),  and Lucy Baldwin (Managing Director and Global Head of Research at Citi). Breakout sessions allowed deeper exploration into asset management, portfolio strategy, and investment banking. “We met so many other students in student-run investment funds around the country,” Andrew shared. “I even connected with a group from Alaska. We talked about our strategies—and learned from each other’s experiences.” A group outing to a Yankees game capped off the day with some well-earned fun.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, ten Davis Center seniors took part in a fast-paced two-day tour of top financial firms including J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Morningstar, CBOE, Callan LLC, Goldman Sachs, Baird, William Blair, and Morgan Stanley. The trip also included an alumni reception hosted by Carol Weiland ’68, reinforcing the strength and reach of the Flyer network.

These trips aren’t just about travel—they’re about transformation. They give students the chance to explore different sectors of finance, see theory in action, and form meaningful connections with professionals eager to give back. As Haylee Foerster ’26 shared, “These site visits are very insightful as they give us (students) the opportunity to connect with esteemed alumni, ask them questions, and learn about potential career paths”

At the Davis Center, the path from classroom to career is clear: it’s experiential, it’s personal, and it’s powered by the incredible Flyer community.