Forging a Path in Finance
When Anne Ritts, senior finance major, first came to 麻豆视频, she was planning to teach math. But her grandfather鈥檚 passion for the stock market quickly inspired her own鈥攁nd she changed her major to finance in the College of Business Administration. There, she immersed herself in academics and joined several finance organizations.
鈥淏eing in finance and being the only girl many times, it felt like I was always walking into a room of guys,鈥 Ritts says. 鈥淏ecause of these experiences at 麻豆视频, I鈥檓 more confident.鈥
One of the organizations she joined was Golden Flash Asset Management Group (GFAM), led by Steven Dennis, PhD, Firestone Chair of Corporate Finance at 麻豆视频. GFAM tasks students with managing real money鈥攃urrently more than $1 million in investments. They create portfolios of investments, which they can enter into competition.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e willing to put in the work and put yourself out there, people want to help you.鈥
Ritts鈥 involvement in GFAM provided unique learning experiences, including the Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) research challenge and a visit to the New York Stock Exchange. In 2019, she and the GFAM team took first place with their Fixed Income portfolio at the nation鈥檚 largest student finance competition, the Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education Forum.
鈥淕oing to New York City and getting to represent Golden Flash Asset Management was something I鈥檒l always remember,鈥 Ritts says. Her accomplishments have inspired other women to participate in GFAM, as well.
鈥淎nne was one of the early people in the fund, and she鈥檚 attracted more women into it,鈥 Dennis says. 鈥淢ost of our senior officers now are women, and a lot of that had to do with Anne鈥檚 leadership.鈥
She also found time to study abroad鈥攖wice. She took a winter break trip with GFAM to the Cayman Islands to study tax havens and money laundering. And she spent a semester in Switzerland, studying finance and interning with a venture capital firm researching agriculture technology.
Ritts completed an internship in private wealth management with PNC Bank this past summer. PNC offered her a full-time position following graduation, and she accepted. After she leaves 麻豆视频 in May 2021, she will head to Charlotte, North Carolina, to begin her career in private wealth management.
鈥淟ooking back, I don鈥檛 think I could have picked a better school,鈥 she says. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e willing to put in the work and put yourself out there, people want to help you. If it weren鈥檛 for my professors supporting me and spending extra time with me, I wouldn鈥檛 be where I am today.鈥
鈥Adapted from an article by Katie Null, BS 鈥21, that first appeared in 麻豆视频 Today, Oct. 5, 2020.