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Baruch MFE Student Profiles
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009
Vipul Bhandari holds a B.Tech in Textile Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi. Vipul has 10 years of experience in application development, database design, and application architecture. Vipul is experienced in Java, j2ee, C/C++, has passed CFA level 1, and is certified in derivative market and security market in NSE (New Delhi). He was ranked 33rd in United Council for Educational Research and Scientific Advancement in the Indian learning exam. Vipul intends to focus on algorithmic or research quant trading. He enjoys reading and playing cricket in his free time.
I decided to join Baruch's MFE program due to the personal attention the faculty provides, the small class, and the highly-focused, challenging coursework.
Yu Gan holds a BS with honors in Mathematics and Physics with a minor in Finance from Tsinghua University. While at University, Mr. Gan earned the Haodushu Scholarship, the NOK Mektron Scholarship, the Tsinghua Xuetang Academic Elite Scholarship, and was named an Excellent student leader. Yu has worked as a Compensation & Benefits Analyst for Mars, a Part Time Analyst for Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, held an internship at PwC, and worked as a Financial Engineering Analyst for Essence Securities. Yu would like to pursue a career in quantitative research and algorithm trading. He enjoys Chinese pop music and singing.
The solid course design, excellent campus location, outstanding career service, and more important, faculty commitment to our success all made Baruch MFE my first choice.
John Xiao Han holds a BS in Statistics from the University of Science and Technology of China, where he passed five Actuarial exams from SOA and received an AIG Scholarship, and a Master's degree in Statistics from Cornell University. He was the Associate Director of Marketing Science for In4mation Insights, where he partnered with senior members to support the predictive modeling for large retail clients, identified business objectives, developed best modeling approaches, managed projects and offered quantitative perspective on their pricing and promotion strategies, and worked on research & development projects, utilizing cutting-edge modeling techniques (e.g. MCMC, GLM, and classification methods) to solve clients' business problems. Xiao also interned with RBC Capital Markets as the front desk risk intern in Global Arbitrage & Trading. During his internship, he focused on managing stress tests for all Prop Trading Strategies in GAT, tracked strategy performance and risk changes, ensured the correctness of hedges under different scenarios, provided insights of the portfolio changes for Head of Trading, and other senior management, and worked on Bond ETF decomposition for index arbitrage strategy. He plans to pursue a career in Quantitative Trading, because he enjoys being challenged constantly and working in a highly competitive environment. He feels that trading would offer an exciting and rewarding career. He enjoys traveling and playing soccer in his free time.
I joined Baruch's MFE Program when I was offered the opportunity to join in the Spring 2013 semester, after visiting the campus for an on-site interview. Professor Stefanica's dedication to the program and strong faith in me made me decide to join right away, and I know I made the right decision.
Jun Hua holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Zhejiang University, where he earned the ZJU Excellent Student Scholarship, and was awarded Second Prize in the 3rd National College Art Competition by China's Ministry of Education for symphony performance. Jun also holds a MS in Computer Science from Yale University, where he was awarded the Outstanding Graduation Thesis Award for his dissertation, "Markov Chain Monte Carlo Model in Wind Energy Forecasting." Jun has held internships with Dealogic, where he worked with Software Developers to optimize products, Morgan Stanley Huaxin Funds, where he conducted pattern identification models and stock market prediction systems, and China Galaxy Securities Company, where he assisted investment bankers in an IPO project for risk analysis. Jun plans to pursue a career in Algo-Trading or Quantitative Analysis. He enjoys playing classical music, soccer, and running in his spare time.
I chose Baruch because of their cutting-edge curriculum, top notch faculty, and close relationship with the market.
Alireza Kashef holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, where he majored in Mechanics of Solids and was ranked in the top 5% of his class. He holds a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. He is the Founder/CEO of Novexir / Novinexir, a consulting firm specializing in plastics manufacturing and recycling, and provided consulting services to the manufacturing industry (and occasional services to other industries). He has won two silver medals in National Mathematics Olympiads (Iran), was ranked 13th among more than 300,000 participants in the National University Entrance Examination (Iran), and has passed Levels I and II of the CFA exam. Alireza is interested in pursuing a career in asset management, preferably a position that will allows him to optimize his engineering background. In his free time, he enjoys playing (and composing/improvising on) the piano, reading, playing tennis, soccer, chess, backgammon, and poker, and skiing.
I chose Baruch because of its commitment to excellence in education, friendly and team-oriented approach, and the dedicated faculty, all under one roof at the heart of financial markets.
Justin Leung holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Finance and Investment and minoring in mathematics, from Baruch College. He has worked as a Marketing Executive, developing and implementing full-year strategic business promotion plans, and as a Brokerage Sales Support and MIS Manager, where he was responsible for supervising daily sales transaction processing, support, compliance and MIS, including commission and incentive program payment calculating and processing. He is interested in a career in quantitative analysis and modeling, and risk management. In his free time he enjoys cooking and playing the drums.
I chose Baruch because of its location in New York, the curriculum, dedicated faculty, small class size, and close-knit, supportive student body.
Howard Lewis holds a BSc Computer Science, with First Class Honors from Manchester University. He has held the position of Vice President of Technology and Data at Morgan Stanley, where he worked in various Equity, Private Wealth Management and cross company IT roles as C++/Java/Perl developer and in technical, project and line management. Key roles include global head of XML messaging standards, implementation of various European trading systems, technical lead for electronic trade confirmation project, chief developer of a metadata driven real time data quality rules engine and chief architect/manager for a high profile banking collateral management system. Recent projects include a mortgage amortization system and a rules-based disclosures system for Wealth Management. Prior to this position, he worked as an account development manager (technical sales support), image and workflow lead developer (C++ and Gupta (Visual basic competitor), and a management consultant at International Computers Limited (now part of Fujitsu). Among his accolades are winning the British Company Society University team competition, passing the UK SFA Registered Representative examination, and becoming Tower Hamlets Employee Volunteer of the Year (2001), an award won by the chairman of Morgan Stanley International the next year (in 2002).Howard intends to work in algorithmic trading, where he can combine mathematical finance with his computer experience in developing high performance computer systems. In his free time, he enjoys photography, working out, art, watching soccer and cricket, reading, travel, going to museums and listening to music. He also plays the guitar.
I chose Baruch because it offered a variety of fine ingredients namely an excellent comprehensive program, a perfect location walkable from my workplace and home, situated in the world's financial center, and in particular on-site classes rather than remote or online coursework. The pre-MFE courses were intensive and challenging and convinced me that Baruch was the place for me.
Tianyu Li holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Nankai University, a BiMBA (Beijing International MBA) from Peking University, and a Master of Science in Global Finance from Fordham University. He was awarded the Rising Star Scholarship and Academic Excellence Award while at Peking, and the Nasdaq OMX Scholarship at Fordham. Tianyu worked with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (China) Limited for three years, where he was based in the Business Promotion Department Cash Management Service Section, with responsibility for corporate clients' payment services, collection services, liquidity management and electronic banking. He also interned with Apple China and Solventure, in both instances focusing on supply chain management and demand forecasts. Tianyu plans to pursue a career in algorithmic trading and portfolio management. He enjoys playing chess, soccer, basketball, and baseball, and is a fan of science fiction.
I chose Baruch MFE because of its great reputation in the financial industry, its cutting-edge curriculum, and its close, supportive class and faculty.
Eliezer Lopukhin holds a BBA in Statistics and Quantitative Modeling, with a minor in Mathematics, from Baruch College, where he was named an Honor's Scholar. He received the Robert Demb Honors Scholarship, and was on the Dean's list throughout his undergraduate career. He interned with UBS, focusing on Securities Lending Operational Risk Management.Eliezer is interested in a career with a strong tie to the markets, i.e. risk management or trading. His ideal position would emphasize significant quantitative analysis while constantly monitoring the markets. He enjoys playing the guitar, yoga, reading fantasy novels, and whitewater rafting in his free time.
I chose the Baruch MFE program because it forms a tight knit group of students and faculty dedicated to helping one another. The wide range of class offerings and learning opportunities made it the best of the programs I looked at, and having done my undergraduate studies here, I couldn't see myself studying anywhere else.
Nikos Rachmanis holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Honors and a Masters of Research in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, as well as an MBA in Financial Instruments and Markets from the New York University Stern School of Business. He previously worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions buy side team for Computer Associates. Prior to this, he was a research assistant at the Volatility Institute at NYU under the supervision of Prof. Robert Engle and Prof. Viral Acharya. He has also interned at the quant prop desk of FXcube LLC in New York and the Equity Derivatives Structuring desk at BNP Paribas Arbitrage in Paris. He was awarded a diploma at the International Mathematical Olympiad. Nikos is interested in pursuing a career in research and development focusing on systematic trading. He enjoys playing poker and going to Broadway shows in his free time.
I chose Baruch because of its great team of dedicated faculty, small class size, and excellent reputation in the industry.
Svetlana Rafailova holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics with a concentration in finance from Baruch College. She was awarded the Macaulay Honors scholarship for the duration of her undergraduate studies for her academic excellence. She also studied Quantitative Methods, Banking & Finance, and German at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. Svetlana worked as a Corporate and Investment Banking Operations intern at J.P. Morgan, where she analyzed failed trades, set up and registered securities for clients, and created trending analyses of discrepancies in the company-wide security system. She also held an internship with the Wealth Management team at UBS, coordinating research and tracking merger and acquisition deals to offer financial services to new clients. Svetlana is interested in pursuing her career in quantitative analysis and financial modelling. She enjoys travelling, skiing, playing volleyball, and studying different languages.
I chose Baruch MFE because, as an alumnus of Baruch's undergraduate program, I experienced the expertise of several MFE professors, and was enriched and challenged by their teaching methods. I know that the cachet that comes from being an alumnus of the Baruch Masters in Financial Engineering program will be crucial as I build my career.
Nazar Romanyak holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Statistics and Quantitative Modeling from Baruch College, which he graduated Magna Cum Laude. Nazar works at TIAA-CREF, where he implements fixed income trading platforms in Bloomberg AIM. He has also participated in MIT and TrX trading competitions. He is interested in pursuing a career in algorithmic trading or quantitative risk management. In his free time Nazar likes to play chess, volleyball, ping pong, and soccer.
I chose the Baruch MFE program for its outstanding reputation, excellent employment rate, dedicated faculty members, small classes, and friendly atmosphere.
Xiaoyin Rong holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, with honors, from Wuhan University, and a Master of Science in Finance, with honors, from Renmin University of China. While studying at Renmin, Xiaoyin served as a Research Assistant in risk management and quantitative trading, and was named "Outstanding Graduate Student." She has also passed CFA Level 2 Certification. She has interned with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants where she was an assistant consultant, and with the Capital Market Division of Xinan Securities. Xiaoyin is interested in pursuing a career in algorithmic trading and risk management. During her free time, she enjoys cooking and traveling.
I chose Baruch because I was impressed by the dedicated faculty and well-organized courses during Pre-MFE Seminars, and I have been dedicated to this program ever since.
Fubo Shi holds a double Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry and Economics from Peking University, where he won a Founder First Prize Scholarship, was named a Beijing Outstanding Graduate, an Outstanding Graduate of Peking University, and earned the Excellent Student at Studying Award. Fubo also holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from New York University, and has four publications in the field of chemistry. He is interested in pursuing a career in risk management at an investment bank or a hedge fund. He enjoys badminton, tennis, saxophone, clarinet, and traveling in his free time.
I chose Baruch's MFE program because of its challenging curriculum, strong faculty, small class size, and supportive career services.
Ashutosh Singh holds a Bachelor's Degree in Technology, Materials, & Metallurgical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, and an MBA in Finance, Quantitative Methods, and Information Systems from IIM Bangalore. He has previously worked for Bloomberg LP, Fortress Investment Group, Vice President, UBS Investment Bank and Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Ashutosh is interested in pursuing a quantitative role at a hedge fund. He enjoys writing programs, running, and hiking in his free time.
I chose Baruch because I was impressed with my experience as part of the Pre-MFE program, and my interactions with its faculty.
Wenhui Wang holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering from Tongji University, whose structural engineering department is ranked first in China. He was a Visiting Student for the third UK Graduate Modeling Camp at the University of Oxford, as well as for the seminar in Spectral Methods of Uncertainty Quantification at the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach. He was awarded a National Scholarship, 1st Class, the US Cyrus Tang Foundation Scholarship, multiple Academic Scholarships, an Outstanding Student Award, the Award of the Mechanic Contest, 3rd Class, and was named an Excellent Student Leader at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Wenhui was a Quantitative Risk Intern with Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where he focused on interest rate swaps stress testing, historical VaR margin, and guaranty fund model validation. He was also M&A Analyst Intern with Blackmore Partners Inc., where he assessed and contacted executives, conducted companies' research based on annual reports, and provided executives with guidance on acquiring target companies backed by private equity group. Wenhui competed in the TD Ameritrade Trading Competition and the 2013 CME Commodity Trading Challenge. He has worked as a quantitative researcher in petroleum reservoir modeling at the Computational Transportation Phenomenon Lab, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and as a Structural Engineer for the Shanghai Institute of Mechanical &Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd. He plans to pursue a career in algorithm trading, quantitative risk management, or investment banking. He enjoys playing tennis, enjoys music and movies, and going to the gym.
I chose Baruch because the high quality is reflected at each corner: in their rigorous admission process, their esteemed professors, dynamic curriculum, and strong career support and alumni network.
Brad Warren holds BS and MS degrees in Computer Science from Stevens Institute of Technology, where he was Valedictorian, and graduated with both degrees in May 2013. He also took courses in the Baruch MFE program while he was an undergraduate. He interned at Morgan Stanley as a Strat in Securitized Products, where he worked on the residential mortgage credit desk. He recently started working full-time as a Strat at Morgan Stanley in options Automated Market Making. He researches models and develops strategies and algorithms for market making and managing risk. He is excited to be starting his career doing quant research in options market making, and is working to learn as much as he can and excel in his new role. Brad enjoys dance in his free time.
I joined Baruch's MFE Program because I want to learn, and have been impressed with the program and faculty.
Peng Wu holds a BA in Finance from Wuhan University, where he was awarded a Special Freshman Scholarship and passed CFA Level I, and an MS in Global Finance from Fordham University. Peng has had internships with Huarong Securities in Wuhan, where he focused on searching for investment reports online and helped edit weekly updates for customers, and with The Riderwood Group Incorporated, where he analyzed the overall quality of real estate in Florida and gave ratings to each property. Peng analyzed 700 properties each day, and with his rate of nearly 90 properties per hour, he was among the top 3 in a team of 40 analysts. Peng plans to pursue a career as an algorithmic trader at an investment bank after graduation. He enjoys basketball (he was the top player in his undergraduate class's basketball team) and watching movies in his free time.
I chose Baruch after attending the Pre-MFE seminars, because it has an outstanding placement rate and a supportive alumni network.
Yanzhu Wu holds a B.Sc. in Telecommunication Engineering and an M.Sc. in Circuit and System from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, where she was named a Merit student, and awarded both a First-Prize Scholarship and three Outstanding Leadership Awards. Yanzhu has worked as a Personal Banker for Bank of America, a Researcher / Engineer on mathematical models of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) of Mandarin with the R&D Group of Asahi Kasei Corporation, Japan, and a Software Driver developer with Beijing Swifton Research Center Co., Ltd., where she worked in the development and debugging of the VoIP gateway ac483 chip driver design. She has held internships with IBM China Development Lab in Beijing as a Product Field Engineer, and Beijing Web-Wireless Tech Co., Ltd as a Software Engineer. Yanzhu intends to pursue a career in quantitative analysis after graduation. She enjoys watching documentaries, travelling, and learning about new cultures and culinary styles.
I chose Baruch's MFE Program because their courses reflect the needs of the ever-changing financial employment environment. Thus, graduates are successful in the current job market, as seen by their outstanding employment statistics. The faculty has a strong background in the financial industry and a great reputation in the academic world.
Bo Yuan holds a BA in Engineering from Tsinghua University with a minor in Economics. Bo earned a National Scholarship to Tsinghua, was named an outstanding graduate from Peking University, and continued at Peking University to pursue a Masters in Finance when he decided to transfer to Baruch's MFE Program. He held an internship with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Sales & Trading, Hong Kong office, where he worked the FX & Rates and Equity Derivative desks, as well as a part-time internship with the China International Capital Corporation in the equity research department of their Beijing office. He is interested in pursuing a quantitative job (desk quant) at an investment bank, or a quantitative trading position at a hedge fund. Bo enjoys watching Formula One racing and going to the gym.
I chose to come to Baruch because of its expertly designed and practical curriculum, its excellent placement record, and the helpful and dedicated faculty.
He (Hillary) Zhao holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a major in Accounting and Finance and a minor in Economics, from the University of Hong Kong, where she earned First Class Honours. She also earned a Beta Gamma Sigma Lifetime Membership, an Emperor Foundation Scholarship, an HKSI (Hong Kong Securities Institute) Junior Scholarship, and a Citibank University Banking Course Outstanding Student Award. She passed CFA Level 2 and is Bloomberg certified in Essentials, Equities, Foreign Exchange, Fixed Income, and Commodities. Hillary has worked for Access Investment Management as an investment research associate, where she performed buy-side equity research, sourced investment ideas from top-down approach, and conducted macro analysis on China. She was also an investment banking summer analyst for the Royal Bank of Scotland where she performed primary research and due diligence on the Industrial sector for IPO, M&A deals; utilized CCA, CTA and DCF models in company valuation and forecasting financials; and consolidate research and analysis findings into compelling client presentations. She is interested in pursuing quantitative research or risk management as a career. Hillary enjoys swimming and badminton in her free time.
I chose Baruch because of its dedicated faculty members, cutting edge curriculum, and superior location in New York.
Wenyi Zhou holds a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from Indiana University, Bloomington, and a BSc in Experimental Psychology (with honors) from the University of York. She earned The Herbert Zimmer Scholar Award for Outstanding Research Accomplishments, the York Award for Excellent Final Year Undergraduate Student, the International Student of the Year, and the Advanced Level Business Student Award, as well as delivering 14 talks on human behaviors in international academic conferences. Wenyi worked as an Investigator & Data Analyst for Cognition Laboratory, Bloomington, where she developed a model to understand memory mechanisms in the human brain, collected data using surgical, pharmaceutical, and neurobiological approaches, analyzed data using correlation and regression using one-way and higher order ANOVA, implemented an experiment driver program using Java, and performed data analysis using Matlab and SPSS. She was also an Analyst Intern with China Merchants Bank, as well as a research assistant & data analyst with Columbia University's Laboratory for Time Perception at the New York State Psychiatry Institute. Dr. Zhou enjoys calligraphy and painting as well as running and playing poker.
I chose Baruch for its dedicated faculty, rigorous curriculum, excellent career service, and job placement. Most importantly, the personal attention and the career advice directly from the faculty members make Baruch MFE program truly unique. I believe this program will facilitate my transition to a successful career in the financial industry.
Liqun Zhu holds a BS in physics and a Double BA in Economics from Peking University, where he was a merited student from 2010-2011. Prior to joining the Baruch MFE Program, Liqun interned as a quantitative analyst with Wenjin Capital, Ltd., where he made statistical analysis of futures pair trading strategies, and held an internship with Zurich Insurance Group, where he worked with a team to propose a business plan for the marketing of a product. He is interested in pursuing a career as a desk quant or quant analyst specializing in fixed income. Liqun enjoys swimming, travelling, and table tennis.
I chose to join Baruch's MFE program because its placement rates are among the best in the country, and I admired its strong sense of community.
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009
Juan Pablo Alonso holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the University of Calgary. He has passed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program. Prior to joining the Baruch MFE Program he traded equities for a proprietary trading firm based in Canada where he developed, tested, and operated automated statistical arbitrage trading systems on multiple ETFs. He is interested in pursuing a career in research and development focusing on algorithmic trading. Juan enjoys running, squash, and reading.
I chose to join Baruch's MFE Program because of its challenging curriculum, strong faculty members, great placement numbers, New York location, and small and selective class.
Kenneth Chan holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Polytechnic Institute of New York University and a MBA specializing in Finance from Baruch College. He has passed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program. He has over 10 years of software development and database programming experience. He is interested in pursuing a career as a quantitative trader. In his spare time, Kenneth enjoys swimming.
The faculty's dedication to this program was one of my main reasons for choosing Baruch College. It fits my personality very well and I learn well under this kind of environment.
Ling Gu holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, Economics, and Finance from St. Olaf College. He has worked at Dongxing Securities Ltd as a technical analyst intern. He is interested in becoming a trader, a desk quant or a research quant. Ling enjoys playing pool and chess.
I decided to join the Baruch MFE Program because of its great career service, fast-paced and challenging curriculum and its location.
Simon Hermiz holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting from Western Michigan University. He has also completed two additional years of coursework in Statistics and Computer Science. He has over five years of commercial banking experience in Credit Risk Management and is currently working as a Graduate Intern at BNY Mellon's Credit Risk Modeling Group. His current work involves using internal and external credit default data to recalibrate BNY Mellon's LGD model under Basel II. He is interested in pursuing a career in entrepreneurship, technology, structured finance, asset management, or real estate. Simon enjoys hackathons, hockey, traveling, and poker.
Baruch's MFE Program appealed to me for the following reasons: Location, Cutting Edge Curriculum, Top Notch Faculty, Small Class Size, and Strong Alumni/Faculty/Career Services Support
David Herssein received his Bachelors of Science in Mathematics from CUNY Brooklyn College, with Departmental honors. He is the recipient of many awards, including the Theodore J. Rivlin Memorial Award, the David Lipson Memorial Award, and the Franc Wertheimer '50 Memorial Award. For the past year David has been an adjunct lecturer for the department of Mathematics at CUNY Brooklyn College. In his spare time, he likes to cook, play piano, and enjoy the outdoors. David is interested in becoming desk quant, and working in portfolio management.
While attending the Baruch Pre-MFE seminars I quickly realized that the instructors at Baruch were excellent and that Baruch has a small elite program in which the faculty genuinely wants each student to succeed.
Rong Hu background is in surface physics. She earned her Ph.D. in the subject from the University of Hong Kong and has authored five papers. Eileen is looking to get into derivatives trading and option pricing. Her favorite activities include camping, diving, and soccer.
The ideal location and dedicated staff. The great connection to the financial industry is also a big plus.
Deo Jaiswal is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, where he earned a degree in chemical engineering. He currently works as a consultant at Citigroup. His professional interests include options trading and statistical arbitrage. In his spare time he enjoys classical music.
My strong interest in Baruch's MFE program developed while attending the Pre-MFE seminars. The individual attention to students' progress, the close-knit community among Baruch faculty and students, and the rigorous curriculum with its pragmatic applications are some of the reasons that made me join the Baruch MFE Program.
Kun Ji has several years of experience working in the financial industry. He has spent many of those years as an equity trader and has also worked as a pension specialist. Kun joined Baruch's MFE Program to pursue a career in quantitative trading. His interests include sports, reading, and poker.
Great location, outstanding curriculum, and a strong faculty that really cares about students.
Srinivas Kannepalli earned his Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He has financial experience developing equities reconciliation systems for Bank of America, credit risk systems for Morgan Stanley, and valuations systems for Goldman Sachs. Srinivas enjoys playing card games and reading about Philosophy. He is interested in a career in quantitative analysis and modelling, risk management or algorithmic trading.
I chose Baruch MFE program because of the small class size, excellent reputation, personal attention given to each student and the placement services. I am sure that the refresher courses and the strong curriculum will
Jin Kong earned his Bachelor of Science in Physics from Peking University, and a Master of Science in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences from University of California, Los Angeles. He intends to work in algorithmic trading at an investment bank or hedge fund. Jin loves to cook and play tennis.
I chose the Baruch MFE Program for its great reputation in NYC, its placement of graduates, and the personality of Prof. Stefanica
Jason Krugly holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Computer Science from Polytechnic Institute of New York University. He has significant experience working as a software developer and has worked at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, and Deutsche Bank. After graduating from the Baruch MFE Program he would like to pursue a career in trading and developing pricing models for derivative securities. Jason enjoys lifting weights, running, and swimming.
I chose to join the Baruch MFE Program for two reasons: not only because it is one of the best and most affordable programs available in the New York City area, but also because it is the only program I am aware of that offered the prospective students an opportunity to enroll in the Pre-MFE refresher seminars. These seminars provided a unique opportunity to review the mathematical and financial concepts necessary for the MFE Program and also exposed the prospective students to the teaching styles of the professors who teach in the program. The top-notch quality of teaching and the rigorous nature of the coursework was the deciding factor that led me to choose the Baruch MFE Program over other programs.
Yaakov Landy before attending college, Yaakov studied the Talmud for three years. He attended Baruch College for his undergraduate degree, where he studied physics and graduated with honors. He is interested in a career in managing risk for a commercial bank. In his spare time, Yaakov likes to solve puzzles.
Besides Baruch's reputation for excellence as a top tiered school, I feel a kinship with its students and professors that is more important to me than anything else.
Jinwen Liu as a high school student, Jinwen earned a number of prizes in China's Physics Olympiad. Since earning a Ph.D. in Physics, Jinwen has been developing algorithmic trading strategies as a quantitative analyst at a firm focusing on commodity and index futures. His hobbies include tennis and playing the piano.
I chose Baruch because of its great location, practical curriculum, dedicated faculty and strong network. I believe the Baruch MFE Program can help me achieve my career goals.
Ran Liu earned her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Fudan University, where she was awarded a National Scholarship. As an intern at Citibank, she programmed a data processing system to collect and analyze clients' credit risk. At another internship with Shanghai Highchain Investments, a hedge fund, she developed algorithmic trading strategies, and built a platform for strategy selection and asset allocation. In her spare time, Ran enjoys badminton, card games, and traveling. She plans to pursue a career in risk management or algorithmic trading.
I chose Baruch because of its dedicated faculty and the close-knit community feel of the student body. A dedicated faculty means experience-oriented curriculum, practitioner teaching, and great career services. Baruch's community fosters a great learning environment and motivation for me to learn from alumni and fellow students.
Maneet Mahal holds a bachelor degree in Mathematics and Information Technology & Informatics from Rutgers University. Prior to joining the Baruch MFE Program she worked at eVestment Alliance as a fund analyst focusing on the hedge fund sector. She is interested in a career in portfolio management and risk management at an investment bank or a hedge fund. Maneet enjoys ice-climbing, skiing, running, and swimming.
The curriculum, quality of teaching, the wonderful family like environment, and the rigor of the program made my decision very easy.
Nirav Pandya holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Information Technology from Mumbai University and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the State University Of New York at Binghamton. He has passed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program. He currently works at UBS as a Senior Developer on the FX Options market making desk. Prior to this, he worked at Total Bank Solutions as a Senior Developer. After graduating from the Baruch MFE Program he would like to work on a market making options desk as a strategist and devise automated volatility trading algorithms. Nirav enjoys running, traveling, and playing poker.
I chose Baruch's MFE Program because of its great team of dedicated faculty, exemplary employment statistics, and excellent reputation in the industry
Richard Postelnik graduated with a Master of Arts in Economics and Finance from Binghamton University. As an Institutional Strategy Analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, he was in charge of risk review and implementing institutional policy. Richard looks to either work in trading or as a desk quant. His hobbies include Taekwondo and playing the drums.
I chose Baruch because when I took two Pre-MFE courses, I found the dedication and quality of the staff to be unparalleled.
Yojna Purohit holds a Ph.D in Computational Material Science from North Carolina State University. She has spent more than eight years researching nanoengineering, which gave her experience with many computational methods, including Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics. She has over nine publications to her name. Yojna is looking to pursue quantitative strategies at a hedge fund or investment bank. When she is not working, Yojna enjoys hiking and experimenting in the kitchen.
I was attracted to Baruch's exceptional curriculum, alumni, and placement statistics.
Alexander Solodukhin researches systematic trading strategies for the Quantitative Strategies group at Mizuho Alternative Investments, LLC. His work involves backtesting, analyzing correlation, asset allocation, and rolling out strategies to go live. A recipient of the National Science Foundation Scholarship, Alexander graduated magna cum laude from Hunter College, where he received his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science. He is interested in a career researching futures trading strategies at a hedge fund. Alexander enjoys reading, listening to music, and chess.
Baruch is one of the best programs in New York City. It became my first choice after I attended Pre-MFE program.
Dov Sturm received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a minor in Physics from Baruch College. Dov's previous work experience involved managing the accounting department of a small business, as well as serving as the IT administrator. He is interested in applying the principles of mathematical finance to either risk management or the engineering, backtesting and implementation of algorithmic trading strategies in an investment bank or proprietary firm. Dov enjoys ice-skating, hockey, music.
During my undergraduate years at Baruch, I had the privilege of studying under several MFE professors. When considering graduate programs, I recalled their singular methods of instruction, and the personal guidance they afforded me. Their unparalleled level of dedication fueled my desire to continue my studies under their tutelage. Furthermore, the program's unique emphasis on teamwork and the camaraderie such engenders greatly appealed to me. Finally, the curriculum's fine-tuned balance between theory and application seemed to be just what I was looking for.
Rajan Subramanian holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce & Engineering with a concentration in Finance and Economics from Drexel University. After school, Rajan worked for Hirtle Callaghan & Company as a Private Equity Research Intern in the areas of Fund of Funds, LBOs, and Distressed Debt Market. He also worked as a financial analyst for the Philadelphia Commercial Development Corporation in the commercial loans department. Rajan is seeking employment in either derivatives pricing or quantitative trading. He also enjoys running, weightlifting, and movies.
When I first took the Pre-MFE program at Baruch, I was really impressed at the quality of the education and the rigor of the classroom. This is exactly what I wanted. Students provided support to each other in private forums online. The quality of the program is also on par with other top programs in the nation if not better. As other students know, Dr. Stefanica has a strong commitment towards the success of the students in the program. I believe that with the Baruch MFE program, I can become successful and obtain my dream job in the field of Quantitative Finance.
Yujia Sun graduated with a bachelor's degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Hong Kong, where she was awarded a number of honors, including the HKU Foundation Scholarship for outstanding mainland students. During a yearlong internship at Hua An Asset Management (a leading fund management firm in Hong Kong), she generated portfolio valuation reports, kept track of securities transactions and holdings and monitored the market news. She also passed the Bloomberg Essential Market Sector Exams. Yujia intends to pursue a career in quantitative research and algorithm trading. In her spare time, she enjoys playing bridge and hiking.
I choose the Baruch MFE Program because of its small class size and its cutting edge and streamlined curriculum.
Marc Tourangeau currently covers VaR production and methodology at Morgan Stanley as an analyst. As an undergraduate, he studied mathematics at NYU. In his free time, he enjoys table tennis, weightlifting, and cycling.
After taking the pre-MFE classes, I was really blown away by the quality of the professors and the cheerful atmosphere at Baruch. Despite the academic rigors and stiff competition of the program, all the students I met were keen to help each other succeed and find good opportunities in the industry.
Ilya Volf holds a Bachelor's of Business Administration in Finance & Investments with a minor in Mathematics from Baruch College. He currently works in risk modeling and analytics at Prudential Financial Services with a focus on credit risk. He has a number of professional qualifications as an actuary. His interests include competitive sports, chess, and bird-watching.
The school is located within the heart of the financial sector, making it extremely accessible for recruitment opportunities.
Jun Wang received a Bachelor of Economics in Financial Engineering with a minor in Accounting from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. She has held internships at Citibank, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, and Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Through Baruch, Jun is pursuing a career in risk management, particularly on the buy side. In her spare time, she enjoys playing badminton and table tennis, reading and listening to jazz.
I chose the Baruch MFE Program for the following reasons: (1) Its central location in New York City, (2) Its excellent career services, (3) Top notch faculty (many of whom are practitioners), successful alumni and smart fellow students.
Guangxi Yang graduated from Zhejiang University with a Bachelor of Economics. As an intern at China Investment Securities Co., Ltd., she designed and implemented a set of dynamic exit strategies. Her hobbies include jogging and music, Guangxi is a master piano player, having been granted the highest level certificate by the Chinese Musicians Association.She is interested in a career in either risk management or trading.
I chose the Baruch MFE Program because of the delicately organized classes, dedicated faculty, great location and outstanding career service.
Yongyi Ye earned his Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Emory University, where he accelerated his studies and graduated in three years. With a keen interest in numerical analysis and computer science, he plans for a career in algorithmic trading. In his spare time, Yongyi plays badminton and tennis.
I chose the Baruch MFE Program after talking to current students and alumni and hearing their great reviews. Other reasons were the excellent career services, great value, and nice people.
David Zawistowski holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Denison University. He has passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program and holds the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) certification. He currently works at Credit Suisse in Structured Credit Derivatives IT. Prior to that he worked at DKR Capital as a Software Engineer. After completing the Baruch MFE Program David would like to work in a fixed income derivatives front office technology role. David enjoys Strength Training and Argentinian Tango.
The Baruch MFE faculty seems to be very focused on preparing you for your career from day one.
Yi Zhang holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Finance with minor in Mathematics from University of Hong Kong. He received scholarships and awards in recognition of his outstanding academic performance and leadership, including HKU Foundation Full Scholarship for Mainland Students (top six in the university), and Top Ten Student Leaders in Tianjin. He also had several internships in the Private Equity and Venture Capital industry. At StepStone Global, which is a global fund of funds, he worked as an investment analyst intern providing key support related to financial modeling, and private equity analysis. In another internship at Entropy Ventures, which is a region clean energy venture fund house, he supported the investment team by conducting primary research on investment ideas in various sub-sectors such as ballast water treatment technology, central air-conditioning optimization technology etc. In addition, he has passed CFA level one. In the MFE program, he has demonstrated a strong interest in financial and statistical modeling as well as computer programming, and he is looking for a career in quantitative research, preferably related to algorithm trading. He enjoyed ice climbing and playing basketball in his spare time.
I picked Baruch's MFE Program because of its small class size, reasonable tuition, excellent career service, and its top ranking.
Shixiang Zhang earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance, with extensive Applied Mathematics coursework from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He has held various internships in finance. Most recently as an intern at Citibank, he worked in wealth management, developing customers and selling various financial product. Shixiang is interested in pursuing a career in algorithmic trading or quantitative risk management. In his spare time, he enjoys calligraphy and table tennis.
The personal attention given by the program is very impressive. At the same time, the Baruch MFE Program has an excellent location and very good reputation on Wall Street. The Program has a small class size, which means the students can easily access all the staff and educational resources.
2013 | 2012 |2011 | 2010 | 2009
Jacek Aviles earned his Bachelor's in Computer Science and Economics from New York University. Since 2007, he has worked at Deutsche Bank in Front Office Solutions in Technology. His work directly helps traders on the Interest Rate Derivatives desk to price various securities and manage their risk. Jacek is very interested in trading and developing pricing models for derivative products. In his spare time he enjoys swing dancing.
I took the pre-MFE courses and found the teaching to be excellent. Since then I knew this was the program I wanted to be in.
Alejandro Canete obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and Civil Engineering from Universidad Técnica Federíco Santa María,Valparaiso, Chile and a M.S. in Applied Finance from Universidad del Desarrollo in 2006 prior to coming to the Baruch MFE program. Since graduation, Alejandro has worked as a developer at IFITEC in Santiago,Chile, and more recently as the Head Quant Developer at Pan Alpha Trading in New York, NY. He has several published papers in topics such as kernel price pattern trading and generating synthetic prices of a high frequency time series using cointegration. Alejandro came to Baruch interested in extending his algorithmic trading skills to newer asset classes, and enjoys spending time with his wife, practicing martial arts, cooking and traveling.
I decided to join the Baruch's MFE program, because about two years ago during one of my business trips to NY I took Professor Stefanica's two-week Calculus for Financial Engineering refresher course and it was one of the best learning experiences that I have ever had. I liked the pace and the quality of the students. I loved the rigorous yet practical approach. I really appreciated the professor's commitment and closeness to the students, and most importantly I was amazed with the depth and breadth of what I ended up learning in such a short period of time.
Andrew Chang earned his Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science and Economics (Summa Cum Laude) from Baruch College. He is currently an intern at Goldstein Capital dealing with mortgage backed securities. He has also worked at Haver Analytics performing economic research. Andrew desires a model validation role upon graduating from the MFE program. He also enjoys playing basketball, Texas holdem, tennis, running, and tetris.
I joined Baruch MFE because I knew firsthand the quality of the faculty. Professor Howard was an amazing professor for Monte Carlo Simulations; Professor Gatheral and Professor Kosygina were innovating in Financial Mathematics. The guidance that the professors of the MFE program provided me is the main reason I joined the MFE program at Baruch.
Jing Chen graduated second in his class with a Bachelor's in Economics from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. While working at the Financial Laboratory at Shanghai University, he assisted in the development of financial software programs. Throughout his undergraduate career, he received numerous scholarships for scholastic excellence, exemplified by one of his publications, "3PL-based Synergy Strategy Model and Information Management System for Industry Cluster in China". He has previously interned at CitiBank in Shanghai as a Mortgage Originator where he developed contacts with local realtors to increase residential mortgage services and maintained client relationships to retain current business and generate new loans. Jing intends to pursue a career in quantitative risk management. He enjoys playing the guitar.
Excellent career service, dedication of staff to this program, small class size, and low tuition
Alan Coman holds a M.A. in Economics from Queens University, Kingston, Canada, and a B.Math. in Applied Mathematics and Economics from the University of Waterloo, Canada where he graduated with distinction. As a Manager of Quantitative Analytics in the Market Risk Department at the Bank of Montreal in Toronto, he worked on implementation of a new credit risk system. He was also a Senior Analyst in Corporate Treasury at RBC in Toronto where he mostly worked on prepayment and econometric models. He is FRM certified by GARP, and placed in the top 3% at the Descartes Advanced Mathematics competition (2000) in Canada. His career aspirations include a quantitative role in either Fixed Income or Credit. He enjoys reading, riding bicycles, and exercising.
I applied to Baruch, as this is the only place I could imagine attending. I also met some very smart alumni and read excellent reviews of the program and its director.
Siddharth Dagar holds an MBA in Finance from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a B.S. in Electronics Engineering from the Faculty of Technology, Jamia, New Delhi, India. He currently works as a Senior Associate at J.P. Morgan Chase in Model Validation and Risk Group within QR. His role involves assessing model risk for derivatives in Equities, Credit, Rates, Commodities, FX and Structured Products form the derivatives pricing and risk management perspective. Furthermore, he works at validating and benchmarking critical models that have a high exposure and reliance. He intends to work as quantitative trader or proprietary trader within an investment bank or hedge fund. He spends his free time with his three-month-old son, Ishan.
I chose to come to Baruch MFE Program because of the strength of the program, faculty, flexible curriculum and central location in New York.
Jie Fu holds a Ph.D. in Computational Biology from the State University of New York at Albany and a B.S. in Physics from Beijing University. As a research scientist at Columbia University, she worked on her doctoral focus and has published 4 papers on image processing algorithms and computational biology. She also has been the recipient of various awards for mathematics and science from distinguished institutions, notably The Institute of Pure and Applied Math in UCLA and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her career aspirations include credit and interest rate derivatives and algorithmic trading. She enjoys rock climbing, running, and poker.
I chose the Baruch MFE program because of its tight connection with the industry and its location.
Alex Ginzburg earned his Bachelor's degree in Finance and Investments from Baruch College. Alex is interested in starting his career in commodities structuring or trading/sales. He is also interested in the application of probabilistic concepts in valuing exotic financial instruments and quantifying financial risk. Alex enjoys martial arts, rock climbing, wind surfing, and the guitar.
I paid attention to several criteria when picking the program – overall strength (faculty qualification, variety of offered classes, substance of practical knowledge that students receive), affordability, recognizable name in the NY area, and job placement service. Baruch MFE scored high on all of the points and ranked at the top of my list, so the choice was easy to make.
Alexandre El Hawat earned his MBA at the University of Texas at Austin and his BE in Electrical Engineering from the American University of Beirut. After school, he worked at Jadwa Investment as a Private Equity Senior Associate. He has also worked at Lehman Brothers in Investment Banking, Schlumberger as an Application Engineer, and Tradenet as a Software Engineer. Alexandre is interested in applying the knowledge he gains from the MFE program and his experience in programming to developing quantitative strategies for algorithmic trading. He has also actively traded in the financial markets since 2001, is fluent in English, Arabic, and French, and enjoys dancing and watching college sports.
I decided to go to Baruch because of its growing reputation in the industry, its updated and flexible curriculum, excellent placement statistics and top notch faculty.
Gama Le Bouder received a B.S. in Economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has worked as a research analyst at the largest Peruvian pension fund where he researched fixed income and equity investment opportunities and forecasted expectations and results based on microeconomic and macroeconomic drivers. His research culminated a presentation of two investments, one of which was immediately added to the portfolio. Gama also participated in the 2010 and 2011 Rotman International Trading Competition at the University of Toronto where his MIT team placed 1st overall. He plans to pursue a career in quantitative finance in either trading or research. He is fluent in French, English, and Spanish, and enjoys traveling and basketball.
The Baruch MFE program seemed like the best transition for me as I only just graduated from MIT. I believe that the overlap between professionals and academics as well as the opportunity to work full or part time while in the program would avail myself of the best opportunities. Moreover, the sense of community that I saw in the program really appealed to me. Your classmates are your teammates and your support. I did not apply to other programs.
Chi Liu earned his Master's in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and his BS in Chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2008. While at school, he worked as a Wharton School Research Assistant analyzing the politics behind speculative housing bubbles and the effects of social capital on housing prices in China. He has also published four papers on chemical processes and received multiple scholarships. Chi's immediate career goal is to work in the hedge fund industry while longer-term he is interested in private equity in the health care sector. When not studying, Chi enjoys playing poker, swimming, and running.
I liked the Baruch MFE program because of many reasons: an awesome learning experience in the pre-MFE program, low cost, high job placement, small class, industry practitioner instructors, and NYC location. I was also strongly influenced by the program director.
Thomas Maloney double majored in Mathematics and Physics at Cornell University. Prior to joining the MFE program, he worked at Morgan Stanley, Prime Brokerage Consultant, managing the due diligence query process. Thomas aspires to work in high-frequency trading or risk management. He also enjoys bicycling and playing poker.
I decided to join the Baruch MFE Program after attending an information meeting, sitting in on classes, talking with current students and teachers, and enrolling in two Pre-MFE classes. Class size, high quality of teaching, and attention to recruitment were major reasons for me choosing Baruch over Columbia.
Noam Mendel received his B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Tel Aviv University where he focused on Signal Processing and Bioelectronics. He was awarded 2nd place in Digital Signal Processing at the Weinstein Competition. As an Air Force Procurement Manager for the Israeli government, he supervised the financial aspects of commercial contracts and military procurement cases. His career goals include portfolio and risk management at either a hedge fund or investment bank. He enjoys traveling, exercising, and dancing.
Everyone that I have talked to about this program seems to agree that Baruch genuinely cares and helps its students to be successful. The engineer in me had to verify this information though, so I looked at the employment statistics. This validated my decision to join the Baruch program.
Mitul Patel holds a Master's of Science degree in Computer Science from Binghamton University – SUNY and a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Engineering from Nirma Institute of Technology. Upon graduation he worked in the Equities and Foreign Exchange ECNs group at Knight Capital Group. He is currently in the Equities Electronic Trading group at Morgan Stanley. Mitul looks forward to building a career in quant trading with special interest in Foreign Exchange and Complex Options. He enjoys cooking, skiing and playing soccer.
I developed strong affection towards Baruch MFE Program while taking PRE-MFE seminars at Baruch. Impeccable quality of education, family-like teacher-student-alumni community, excellent reputation in the industry and incomparable career services offered even to the part-time students are a few of many reasons, that made Baruch MFE the first choice.
Mayur Patel holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering with a Specialization in Operations Research from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program, and for the last three years has worked at the Grant Park Futures Fund in a business development role. He is interested in Risk Management and Derivatives Trading. He enjoys soccer, college football, and travel.
I joined Baruch's Top Tier MFE Program because of the renowned faculty, rigor and practicality of the curriculum, sense of great camaraderie between current students, exceptional placement statistics, and the great New York City location.
Drusus Pollini earned both his Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Economics from the University of Southern California. Prior to joining the MFE program, Drusus worked as an insurance claims examiner and a research assistant in a neuroscience laboratory. His career aspirations lie in commodities model development for a propriety trading desk at a leading investment bank. In his spare time he enjoys training for triathlons and playing the piano.
I had a great experience in the Pre-MFE seminars and after I was done I couldn't imagine myself in another MFE program. The staff and faculty have been very committed. Current students have convinced me that the attention and professional support is exceptional.
Dmitry Rile obtained a M.S. Summa Cum Laude in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics from Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia, and later continued with doctorate level postgraduate studies there. He has multiple publications in applied and pure mathematics. Presently, he is working in a contractor role as a Quantitative Developer for Credit Suisse, and formerly at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in a similar capacity. He intends to secure a position as a quantitative analyst and eventually a quantitative trader in structured finance at an investment bank or hedge fund. In his spare time he enjoys swimming, hiking, reading mathematics and psychology, and playing chess.
The MFE Program of Bernard M. Baruch College has recently become one of the top programs in the field. I have studied thoroughly Prof. Stefanica's book, A Primer for the Mathematics of Financial Engineering, and also attended his seminars "Advanced Calculus with Financial Engineering Applications" and "Numerical Linear Algebra for Financial Engineering" of the Pre-MFE Program, as well as the seminar "Probability Theory for Financial Applications" by Prof. Elena Kosygina. In addition, I had an opportunity to attend a lecture of the Prof. Tai-Ho Wang's Stochastic Processes course of the MFE Program. I really like what I have seen. The students in the program are very intelligent and knowledgeable. The faculty is great and includes well-known industry professionals like Jim Gatheral.
Meshulam Ross obtained a B.S. in Mathematics and Actuarial Studies with a minor in Finance, Psychology, and Education from Touro College. He currently is in an internship at Sterling Asset Management Group. He intends to utilize his skills in a quantitative role in either Risk Management, managing investment portfolios, or creating novel financial products. His hobbies include computers, guitar, drums, and basketball.
- Excellent Professors
- Placement Rate
- Close-knit Classes
- Outstanding Curriculum
Lea Savoji earned her Master's degree in Economics from Boston University and a Bachelor's in Applied Mathematics and Economics (with honors) from George Washington University. She has interned at the World Bank in the Financial Management Unit. Lea would like to pursue a career at an investment bank or hedge fund as a quantitative analyst. She enjoys tutoring students and reading novels of authors from around the world.
I decided to join Baruch because the program is structured in a way where I will be able to learn the fundamentals of quantitative finance via the core classes while exploring different areas of interest within the financial engineering field through the many electives offered. Moreover, the quality of the program which stems from the highly recognized faculty is undeniable. Furthermore, the Baruch MFE program emphasizes the importance of gaining work experience while in school and Baruch's impeccable record of internship and job placement, coupled with location, are the rounding factors in my decision to join the Baruch MFE program.
Ivan Shatsilenia earned his Bachelor's degree in Statistics and Quantitative Modeling in Business (Summa Cum Laude) from Baruch College. He is interested in the application of probabilistic concepts in valuing exotic financial instruments and quantifying financial risk. Ivan also enjoys playing chess and volleyball.
1. It offers an excellent collaborative environment with small class sizes and a supportive culture.
2. Highly dedicated faculty members with years of industry experience.
3. A good mix of mathematical rigor and practicality in its approach to finance.
4. Excellent placement record.
5. Affordable tuition rate.
Yijia Yang graduated with Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Graduate Center, City University of New York, and received her Master of Science in Chemistry from Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. She has been awarded numerous academic distinctions for excellence, and she also has over ten publications mostly in her research of lanthanides.
Baruch MFE program offers solid training in quant skills with emphasis on application of math skills to financial market problems. It has a strong alumni network and connection to Wall Street.
Steven K. Yau received a A.B. in Mathematics of Harvard University, and is presently a Senior Actuarial Analyst at Towers Watson. He plans to pursue a career in algorithmic trading at a hedge fund.
Job placement, strength of academic program, fellow students, great director and cost of tuition are just a few of the driving factors of my decision to join the Baruch MFE program.
Siyu You received a Master of Science in Electronic Engineering from Tsinghua University, Beijing. At Yahoo! Labs, Siyu worked as a senior research engineer using statistical modeling and data mining for various advertising products, and led a team in click forecasting of search advertising. He has filed three patent applications on search advertising (sponsored by Yahoo!), and has numerous publications in the Chinese Journal of Semiconductors and the Japanese Journal of Applied Physics.
He plans to utilize his rich experience in machine learning and statistics in an algorithmic trading career. In his spare time he plays soccer, poker, and video games.
Baruch is obviously a good choice to land you a job in NY. Every cent you spend on this program is worth it.
Jingyun Zhang received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Physics from Northeastern University. During his Ph.D., Jingyun focused on the statistical mechanics theory of random walk chain. He proposed novel stochastic models overcoming the flaws of well-established theory in interpreting experiments. Jingyun extended his interest and ability in scientific modeling to financial models and systematically studied financial theories. He is planning to take the CFA II test. He plans to combine his versatile background and professional training from MFE to launch a job in the financial industry. He is especially interested in a quantitative trading and investment management position. He enjoys reading and swimming.
1.Good placement record
2.Affordable tuition
3.Top-notch faculty
4.Flexible curriculum
5.Perfect location
Xi Zhang received a Bachelor of Economics and Finance with a minor in Statistics from the University of Hong Kong. She has held internships at Commercial Bank of China and China International Capital Corporation Investment Banking Division where she was in the M&A team and researched the effect of valuation methods development and anti-hostile takeover methods. She was also awarded numerous scholarships for academic excellence including the HSBC Scholarship for Mainland Students (awarded to only 6 recipients University wide). She intends to pursue a career in quantitative analysis with an emphasis in risk management. In her spare time she reads, watches movies, and plays soccer.
I chose the Baruch MFE because of its small class size, personal attention, intensive curriculum and excellent faculty.
Zhechao Zhou holds a Master's degree in applied mathematics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a B.A. in mathematics and physics from Bard College. While at school, Zhechao worked as a research assistant conducting literature reviews and building models to identify the impact of rebate trading on market liquidity and equity pricing. She also collaborated at the University of Notre Dame on a research project involving stochastic complex networks and individual behaviors within networks. Zhechao is seeking employment in quantitative strategy and algorithm trading. She also enjoys playing board and card games, cooking, reading books, running, weightlifting, and movies.
I choose Baruch because of its dedicated faculty, rigorous curriculum emphasizing applications, personal attention to each student, location and impressive placement record.
2013 | 2012 | 2011 |2010 | 2009
John Benedetto earned a BS in mechanical engineering from John Hopkins University, where he made the Dean's List from 2003 to 2007. He is a member of the Pi Tau Sigma International Mechanical Engineering Society and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society. He previously worked at Bridgewater Associates as an account management associate. He is interested in risk and portfolio management.
I chose Baruch's MFE program because of its commitment to all students, both part-time and full-time, in regards to classes and career placement. Also, its small yet highly competitive program creates a true community experience unlike any of its competition.
Bill Diomis holds a BS from New York University with majors in both Mathematics and Economics. He is a CFA Level II candidate, and prior to joining the Baruch MFE program, worked as a consultant at Burger Creations, Inc. He has been involved in many community service activities, volunteering in the Help Organization for International Students and Big Brothers Big Sisters. His interests include golf, table tennis, and motorcycling.
Studying in the Baruch MFE Program will give me a good exposure to the structured finance world. Also, the commitment of Professor Stefanica in finding job opportunities for the program's graduates, which I have personally observed during the past couple of months, has made my choice even easier. When I met the current students I realized that the small number of students admitted each year maximizes a strong collaboration among the students in their dedicated quantlab. Also, the faculty that I have met, such as Professor Stefanica and Professor Sherman Wong, are very helpful and open. The addition of Dr. Jim Gatheral to the faculty enhanced the extensive experience of the program it has accumulated during the past 8 years and increased my interest to the program.
Yan Yan Echo holds both a MS and BS in Economics from Fudan University, completed in 2003 and 2000 respectively. After graduation, Yan Yan's experiences include project management at Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals where she focused on risk control and compliance. She also served as an internal auditor for Ernst & Young and a credit risk analysis supervisor for the Lenovo Group. She currently holds a CFA level 1 designation. Yan Yan hopes to pursue a career in risk management or structured finance. In her spare time, she enjoys a good game of table tennis.
Baruch appeals to me for reasons besides those often-cited ones. First of all, considering the stellar faculty and low tuition, Baruch's MFE has the highest ROI among similar programs and it is a wise investment for any student who wants to study finance. Secondly, its small class size, family-like atmosphere and active community constitute the network I need as an international student who wants to successfully switch to financial service industry. Last but not the least; I see the growth of the programs in the past several years. I am very happy to be part of your growth. I spent several days reading all Baruch-related threads on quantnet since 2006 and the more I read, the more I realize that Baruch is my best choice, rationally and emotionally.
Yassine Ghalem holds an MS in computer science from New York University Courant Institute and has a Maitrise in Physics from Universite de Versailles and a DESS in Physics/Signal Processing from Universite Paris-Est Creteil (Paris XII). His previous work experience includes several years at Merrill Lynch spent developing software for risk metrics.He currently works at Goldman Sachs implementing pricing models for futures, exotic options, and foreign exchange contracts.
I believe Baruch MFE offers a first class program, and -particularly- provides an outstanding support for its students.
Jonathan Jaffe graduated from Lafayette College with a BS in Mathematics. He is a CFA Level I candidate and worked at Fitch Ratings as an analyst in the Quantitative Financial Research Group. His efforts there include research on credit default swap trading algorithms and implied ratings models. He enjoys snowboarding and volunteering his time as a math tutor.
The quality of education is phenomenal, the close-knit community feel of the student body, the ideal location in downtown Manhattan, the director's commitment and availability to students, and the placement rate!
Anuj Jain graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Technology degree in electrical engineering. He has completed internships at Infineon Technologies and Asea Brown Bovery prior to enrolling at Baruch. He enjoys reading, swimming, and is a mountaineering enthusiast.
I decided to join the Baruch MFE program because it offers a strong and flexible curriculum which allows you to excel in your desired field. Dedicated faculty and strong community sense were other factors that encouraged me to join this program.
Samit Jain earned a B.S in computer science from the University of Texas-Austin and a M.S. in computer science from Columbia University. After graduating from Columbia, he worked for five years in the financial industry in New York as a technologist developing high performance low latency distributed systems for trading, simulation and risk management. In his free time, he enjoys soccer, tennis, movies, and sports analysis and commentary.
I decided to enroll in Baruch because of its great location, low cost, and accessibility.
Amanda Kotler holds a Master's of Engineering in Design and Manufacturing from the University of Toronto and an MBA in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh received in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Upon completion of her MBA, she worked as an associate in Equity Research at Caris and Company before transitioning to Renaissance Technologies. She holds Series 7, 55, and 63 licenses. Amanda is interested in quantitative strategy and portfolio analytics. She enjoys ice hockey and snow boarding.
What has struck me the most about the MFE program at Baruch is the small community feel inherent in the program and the vested interest that the faculty take in their students' success.
Alex Krause graduated from Harvey Mudd College with a B.S. in Engineering with a concentration in structural dynamics and systems engineering. He was a Harvey Mudd College Merit Scholar in 2006 and made the Dean's List from 2008-10. In his free time he enjoys weight lifting, playing frisbee, riding bikes, and hiking.
I chose Baruch MFE over CGU and UIUC for many reasons. It's very selective, which means that my peers will be very skilled and the classes will be fast-paced. It has excellent job placement into desired positions in wall street because of it's superior location and excellent alumni network. Furthermore, the faculty is filled with industry practitioners and C++ is incorporated into almost every class.
Michael Lwin received an Master's of Science in Mathematics from Hunter College. He did his undergraduate work in mathematics at University of Nevada where he was a Millennium Scholar. He enjoys surfing and chess and is interested in algorithm trading.
Having attended the info sessions conducted by Prof. Stefanica, as well as meeting with him personally, I was consistently impressed by the caliber of the MFE program at Baruch; the level of scholastic rigor and real-life preparation exemplified in their impressive placement statistics solidified my aspiration join the Baruch MFE program.
Xiaoyong Li graduated with a BS in Financial Mathematics from Shandong University in 2010. While there he published on periodic boundary value problems for second order integro-differential equations. He also focused on the application of Monte Carlo methods to risk in equity markets. His previous experiences include an intership focused on foreign exchange trading with the Bank of Communications, a leading Chinese commercial bank. Xiaoyong is interested in algorithm trading and enjoys tennis in his spare time.
Programming integrated courses, renowned and dedicated faculty, small class size, great connection between students, faculty and alumni.
Yingxue Li graduated in 2010 with a BS in Shanghai University of Finance & Economics where he was awarded numerous scholarships for his superior academic record. His had extensive internship experience in the field of finance, ranging from corporate valuation to market risk management. Yingxue also has published several papers, focusing on risk. Yingxue plans to pursue a career in quantitative finance.
I chose the Baruch MFE without any hesitation because that the class has a small size, the curriculum is very practical, the location cannot be better, some of the faculty are very famous. I firmly believe this elite program can help me realize my dreams.
Yike Lu holds a Bachelors of Science in Physics from the California Institute of Technology. His past research has focused on particle physics and work in computation chemistry, resulting in multiple publications. He also completed an internship at Charles River Associates and has passed the CFA Level I exam. He is most interested in the fields of structured finance and exotic options trading.
I was admitted to BU, Baruch, Cornell (with scholarship), USC, and NCSU. I chose the Baruch MFE because of its best-in-field value, exceptional faculty, personal attention to each student, prime location, practical approach to teaching, and placement record.
Hildingur Mahanti graduated from Texas A&M University with a double B.S. in mathematics and computer science. He was the recipient of the Phi Theta Kappa society scholarship at Texas A&M University. He has worked at Interactive Brokers as a software developer where his responsibilities included developing software for the company's accounting system, clearing system, SWIFT infrastructure and cutting edge exchange fee reconciliation system. He enjoys sailing, running, riding his motorcycle, and skiing.
The stellar reputation of the program, the proven success of the program's graduates and the administration's obsessive focus on finding their graduates a suitable job are what first attracted me to Baruch when evaluating perspective schools.
Sampad Mishra earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in telecommunication engineering from Vishveshwaraya Technological University and a Master's of Science degree in computer and systems engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He received a research assistant scholarship award while studying at RPI. He currently works at Citigroup in the Credit Risk Technology department as an advanced technology associate.
Baruch is the only school I applied to because I believe it is the best place for part time students The flexible curriculum will help me manage my job and studies well. Its presence in the financial center of the world would help me get a lot of career opportunities. The personal attention given by Prof Dan Stefanica is what attracted me towards this program.
Avi R. Palley graduated summa cum laude from Touro College with a 4.00 G.P.A. in 2010. He received a B.S. degree, majoring in mathematics and minoring in finance. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Touro College – Lander College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Scholar Award. He passed the first two Society of Actuary examinations, and interned at MetLife as an actuary for two summers. Additionally, Avi has extensive experience with numerous programming languages and systems; he is interested in algorithmic trading, financial product development, and computer security. Avi enjoys hiking, baseball, reading, and table-tennis.
I decided to go to Baruch because of its growing reputation in the industry, smaller more personal incoming cohorts, and its strong focus on relevant coding skills (C++). The great faculty and high job-placement rates also played a significant role in the decision.
Joy Pathak holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Windsor awarded in 2009. While studying, Joy worked for both Ford and General Motors developing statistical techniques to identify sources of faulty parts and wasted materials. He then worked for Syncrude Canada conducting computational and experimental materials research, leading to several publications in the field. Joy is interested in high frequency and algorithmic trading.
The curriculum, top notch faculty,location and the active alumni network were probably some of the biggest highlights of the program for me. The Baruch program has a perfect blend of Finance, Mathematics and Programming that I wanted. The family/fraternity type attitude that Dr. Dan Stefanica has created at Baruch MFE is truly unique and having the opportunity to be a part of it is definitely amazing. Baruch was the best fit for me considering my future goals and ambitions.
David Rappaport holds a BS from Syracuse University with a major in Computer Engineering and minors in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering. He has spent the last four years as a systems engineer at the Sensis Corporation performing research and development work for NASA. He has been particularly focused on developing superior algorithms for air traffic management. He has published several papers on the topic and recevied the NASA Ames Honor Award for his efforts in 2008. He is interested in high frequency trading and statistical arbitrage.
1. NYC Location
2. Top Tier Program
3. Has an extremely dedicated director that serves as an advocate for both the program and the students. This might be the single biggest factor in my selection of Baruch.
4. Recently hired Jim Gatheral as a professor + updated curriculum
5. Access to high-frequency real-time/historical tic data via trading lab
6. Capstone project
7. Excellent employment stats
Alexei Smirnov obtained a dual degree in Computer Science and Biology from SUNY Binghamton University and worked for two years as a developer before joining the Baruch MFE program. While at Baruch, he was a key member of the Trading team which came in third in the Rotman International Trading competition, including fist place in algorithmic trading. He is keenly interested in both algorithmic and discretionary trading, especially ways in which quantitative analysis can be used in conjunction with analysis of fundamentals in the development of trading strategies.
Baruch quickly became my top choice for graduate school after visiting the college in November and sitting in on a class and talking to the students currently enrolled in the program. It was clearly incredibly academically rigorous, and professor Stefanica was one of the most passionate professors I have met, but what impressed me most and made the MFE program stand out from other programs at other universities was the camaraderie of the students – instilled by the program's homework groups.
Mengdi Wu holds a BA in Financial Economics and Mathematics from Gustavus Adolphus College, where she graduated Sum Cum Laude. She was the co-president of the Chinese Culture Club and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Most recently, she worked at the Financial Services Forum as an analyst and research intern. She is interested in improving existing pricing and risk management models for derivatives and synthetic products.
Baruch was my top choice among all the top MFE programs because of its location, outstanding job placement, and reasonable tuition rate. However, it was not until I started taking the refresher courses that I realized the reasons lying behind these facts. It's the strong sense of community, the bond between students and alumni, the highly committed program director who endeavors to help every student succeed, the experienced practitioners who are also natural lecturers joining the program, and the top mathematicians dedicated in teaching that make the Baruch MFE program special.
Anuroop Yadav earned a Bachelor of Technology in computer science and engineering from Lucknow University. He is a senior-level IT consultant with four years of experience in risk management, equities, derivatives, fixed income securities, and clearing and settlement systems, having worked at Lehman Brothers and UBS. Yadav is interested in statistical arbitrage.
For a number of reasons; it is a top tier program located in the heart of the financial capital of the world, which is also convenient for me as I live in Newport, Jersey City. It has a vibrant alumni network that has nothing but praise for the program, quality of learning and the Director, Dr. Stefanica. Places equal emphasis and rigor on Finance, Mathematics and Programming. Has great placement services with active participation from the Director. The program does not differentiate between PT and FT students with regards to placements. Finally, it provides a huge cost benefit compared with similar programs in the area with the best value for the money and time invested.
William Yang earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California where he was awarded the Viterbi School of Engineering Dean's Doctoral Fellowship. His past research experience focused on nanowire synthesis for applications in electronics. He also completed an internship at RBC Capital Markets in the Liquid Products Group. William is interested in structured finance and risk management.
I chose the Baruch MFE Program because of its community and curriculum. From my interaction with former students and faculty, I have seen how supportive and generous the culture is. Many members of the community have reached out to share their experiences and wisdom with me. I know that I will be spending the next year and a half with students and faculty who are driven, committed and share my passions. Finance is a great way to learn mathematics: The curriculum is demanding and covers many fundamental topics that will strengthen my mathematical foundation and better prepare me for a career in finance. I know I will be ready to successfully pursue whatever challenges I take on with the skill set I will have obtained after completing the program.
Xiurong Zheng earned a BS in Information and Computational Science and a MS in Computer Science and Technology from the Harbin Institute of Technology. Prior to enrolling at Baruch College, Xiurong worked at Sun Microsystems and more recently at IBM as a software engineer. His work at IBM has been focused on developing large-scale distributed file systems. Xiurong is interested in quantitative strategy development and enjoys playing badminton in his spare time.
The Baruch MFE Program is only one I applied to because it is the best fit for me. Small size class and good location provide more chances to contact professor and financial service industry. Curriculum with the balance of finance, mathematics and programming matches my educational background and career goal. More importantly, faculty dedication and family-like academic atmosphere is very unique.
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009
Alex Kamarashki graduated summa cum laude as a Honors College Scholar from Kent State University in 2009 with a major in Finance and minors in Economics and Applied Mathematics. He received Kent State University Presidential Scholarship and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Alex spent summer of 2008 at Merrill Lynch where he assisted brokers with various duties, mainly screening for stocks and back-testing investment strategies. In joining the Baruch MFE program, he is interested in a career in proprietary trading at a bond /commodities desk in an investment bank. Alex enjoys basketball, soccer, outdoors, chess, raves.
I wanted to attend small program in a big financial center, and Baruch was one of the few options that initially came out. After visiting the school and meeting with Professor Stefanica, I realized that Baruch is the right place for me not only because of the mentioned above, but also because of the strong sense of community that is implied by the attitude and commitment of the people associated with the program.
Nicholas Chiang received his Master of Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from California Institute of Technology where he worked on various research projects during the summers of 2001-2003. Nicholas was a 2004 Intel Undergraduate Research Contest finalist. After MIT, he worked at Intel as a process engineer. In joining the Baruch MFE program, Nicholas prepares for his future career as a trader or quantitative analyst. In his free time, he enjoys weight training, trading, tennis, and basketball.
I decided to join Baruch because I felt that its faculty and student body create a more friendly academic environment that will better facilitate my transition to financial engineering. I also believe that Baruch offers the best value when compared to other programs with similar reputations.
Victor Istratov graduated magna cum laude from Boston University where he received both of his Bachelor and Master degree in Computer Science. Prior to transferring to Boston University, Victor studied for two years in Physics Department at Moscow State University. While at Boston, he interned in the Fixed Income division of State Street Global Advisors. After graduation, Victor worked as a technical consultant for SAP America in its implementation at major stock exchange. Currently a freelancer specializing in web back-end development, Victor enters the MFE program to learn knowledge and specialized skills to implement and improve quantitative models for risk management, derivatives pricing or algorithmic trading in a hedge-fund or investment bank. He enjoys photography, modern art, snowboarding, and swimming.
Baruch MFE Program combines practical and well-balanced curriculum, dedicated professors, and active alumni network. As I learned from current students, real life applications are emphasized in all classes and instruction is intensive and demanding. On the other hand, there is a great active community around the program which I am exited to be part of.
Ming (Stephen) Jin graduated with an MBA from Goizueta Business School, Emory University, GA where he was a recipient of Goizueta Scholarship. After graduation, Stephen spent two years as a Finance Manager at Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL where he analyzed and facilitated investment and organic growth in Asia Pacific markets. Since 2006, he works as Finance Manager for a NYC-based company where his duties include investment analysis and category management. Stephen received his Bachelor of Engineering in Naval Engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University, China. After undergraduate study, he spent five years with Procter & Gamble, China where he eventually rose to the rank of national trade marketing manager. His career interest lies in the field of quantitative portfolio management in an investment firm.
Small class size, best-in-class academics and curriculum, stellar faculty, career service and job placement
Avinash Burra graduated from Columbia University in 2004 with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. Since then, he has worked as a Robotic Research Analyst at Surgical Sciences Lab, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York where he applies mathematical models for flight path analysis of data from the da Vinci Surgical System. An author of multiple abstracts and papers published in various Surgical Technology conferences over the past three years, Avinash received his Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. Interested in algorithmic trading and various hedging strategies, Avinash hopes to gain practical knowledge from the Baruch MFE program for his future career as a quantitative analyst at a hedge fund or investment bank. He has a wide range of hobbies; among them cricket, soccer, surrealist art, cooking, playing guitar, progressive/experimental rock, music editing and production.
I attended the info session and a class before I applied to Baruch. I was very impressed by the course structure, class size and just the general feel I got from interacting with the students. The location of the school is convenient for me and of course the tuition is affordable.
Emil Gheorghiu holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from University of Craiova, Romania and a Certificate in Java Programming from NYU SCPS. As a quantitative developer at a New York-based portfolio and risk management software firm the past few years, he has involved in the development and design of custom portfolio trade, pricing and risk capturing tools. With an eye towards better risk management in volatile financial markets, Emil plans for a career in model validation and data mining to bring more transparency to pricing and valuation tools. His interests are as wide as politics, finance, math, basketball, European football, tennis, bowling are different.
Baruch provides one of the best available applied oriented MFE programs, where each individual is carefully observed and trained. I was inspired by its students' community and their passion for advanced financial mathematics when deciding to move towards quantitative finance field.
Aliasgar Haji graduated first class with distinction from National Institute of Technology, India where he received his Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Upon graduation, he worked as an IT Support Consultant for Goldman Sachs until June 2008. Since then, he has worked as a Senior Analyst at Goldman Sachs where his duties include testing new models for risk calculation, deployment to production, daily delivery of simulated prices of OTC trades, analysis of potential exposure and other risk numbers for institutional counterparts. In joining the Baruch MFE program, Aliasgar aims to work as a quantitative risk analyst developing new models for simulation and pricing used in the calculation potential exposure, Value at Risk and other risk measures for derivative trades. An amateur photographer, he loves to walk around New York City/Jersey City to take pictures of city life. An avid reader, Aliasgar reads everything from SciFi, Satire, and Mystery. He also starts learning to play poker for the past several months.
I did not apply to any other colleges this year. I only applied to Baruch since I believe Baruch's focus on quantitative methods in the financial industry is in line with my goal of working as a quantitative analyst.
Yoseph Feit graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology where he received both of his graduate and undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering. In joining the Baruch MFE program, Yoseph seeks to return to an investment bank as a programmer in support of the analysis of fixed income and equity derivatives, working closely with traders and quantitative analysts. In his spare time, Yos enjoys alpine skiing and weight training.
Baruch provides a better balance between math and finance course offerings when compared to competing programs run by other universities. The New York location puts it in the center of world finance activity, and reflects the global diversity of student body. The outstanding placement record and reasonable tuition result in a superior return on the educational investment
Daniel Forman holds a Bachelor degree in Physics and Economics from Swarthmore College. A recipient of National Science Foundation REU grant and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research grant, he spent the summer of 2006 at Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC where he designed and implemented laser imaging system for ultra-cold atoms. Daniel also spent the previous summer at Center for Integrated Plasma Studies, University of Colorado at Boulder working on computational simulations of multidimensional plasma structures. For the past two years, he worked on macroeconomic modeling using dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models at Macroeconomic and Monetary Studies Function, Research and Statistics Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York. His finance interests lie in the area in portfolio or risk management as well as algorithmic trading. Daniel enjoys chess, cooking, rugby.
I was very impressed with Baruch's sense of community and commitment to teaching. The alumni network seemed to be the most enthusiastic of all the programs, which I believe is a strong indicator of the strength and value of a program. I also felt the teaching was excellent with a great emphasis placed on giving students the necessary skills and guidance to achieve both their immediate and ultimate goals.
Iuliia Palamar graduated from Kiev National Economics University with a Bachelor degree in Finance. A first place winner of the 73rd Kiev National Economics University's Student Science Conference, she also gained a wide range of professional experience at Prostobank Consulting where she spent two years as a financial analyst performing a great variety of tasks – from conducting market researches and making reports to talking to press and writing small articles to Ukrainian news-papers. In her free time Iuliia usually travels, reads, swims or rides a bicycle. She also enjoys theater and photography arts.
My reasons to apply to Baruch MFE program were impressive employment statistics and rigorous curriculum. Moreover, such facts about the program as personal attention to every student, deep commitment of professors, small class size and strong student and alumni community remind me of my high school, which was a perfect place for studying and personal development.
Bhavna Jhunjhunwala graduated with a Bachelor of Engineer in Electronics from Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Mumbai, India. As an Event Head of Indian Society of Technical Education Student's Chapter, she designed a software called "Bears and Bulls" as a part of the online gaming organized in the bi-annual townhall presentation, which simulates real time Stock Exchange and allows the participant to take part in online transactions. Certified as a Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD), Bhavna spent four years at Tata Consultancy Services, India's leading software solution provider and later at investment bank Bank Of America Merrill Lynch, where her duties include translating the exotic trading strategies into technological language using programming skills which were aimed to maximize profits while curtailing systematic and non-systematic risks. Her career interests are research and development of a comprehensive risk assessment model customized for the Indian capital markets. Bhavna enjoys reading, singing and traveling. A NYCares volunteer, she spent time conducting learning sessions for children, cooking and serving food in soup kitchens, delivering meals to senior citizens.
Baruch is a fast track to a high quality of learning which will aid in turning my ideas in to action and I look upon it as the strong foundation on which my career in Financial Engineering rests. A midtown New York location, and an excellent well-versed faculty, makes it an ideal place for studies in financial engineering. Apart from providing the necessary impetus in terms of knowledge and skills, graduate studies at Baruch would expose me to a rich and varied cultural environment and drive me towards excellence. Baruch's realistic and experiential style of learning speaks more to me than the one-dimensional academics I outgrew as an undergraduate, as well as the chance to personalize a flexible study plan.
Timothy Ko graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Binghamton University with a Bachelor of Science in Financial Economics. He interned at AAFE Community Development Fund (aafecdf.org) where he developed various database solutions in Access to log clients seeking education and counseling services; to manage and track rehabilitation and maintenance costs of the organization's affordable housing developments; and to use it for reporting and analysis purposes. He later became co-director of Crimson Kings Drum, Fife, and Bugle Corps (crimsonkings.com) where he managed weekly operations, budgeting, and event planning for the organization, a non-profit dedicated to community service and youth education in musical performance. He led the corps in rehearsals, performances, and parades for major holidays and cultural events in the NYC metro area. Tim would like to pursue a career as a quantitative analyst at a hedge fund or investment bank after his graduation from the Baruch MFE program. His interests are music, reading, rudimentary drumming, and puzzles.
Baruch's MFE Program is my first and only choice because it offers a strong curriculum and committed faculty along with a tight and active community.
Harpal Singh holds a graduate degree in Business Computer Info Systems from Baruch's Zicklin School of Business. He works as a software engineer at Trizetto Inc where he designs and implements business intelligence and Web base solution products for Health care business using SSAS, C# technology. Harpal plans a career as a quantitative engineer where he can use the quantitative knowledge acquired from the Baruch MFE program to build better financial models. He graduated first class with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Guru Nanak Dev Engg College, Ludhiana, India. He enjoys sailing, mountain climbing and running.
Baruch was my first choice considering the difficulty of program, class size and great resources provided by Baruch College like Subotnik Center for active trade simulation. Located in the heart of world's financial capital makes this program great and preferred choice.
Andriy Bulava works as a High Yield performance analyst at Rogge Global Partners. He previously spent time at ING Investment Management in various roles ranging from desktop engineer to performance analyst. A recipient of National Science Foundation Scholarship, Andriy holds a Bachelor degree in Computer Science from Hunter College with a minor in Mathematics. He currently takes courses in the Baruch MFE program where he plans to study for a career in risk management in high yield at his current position upon graduation. He enjoys swimming, boxing, power lifting and definitely traveling.
MFE at Baruch College provides hands on practical experience from the first class. In addition, integrating C++ programming language with almost every course played major difference in making my decision regarding school choice.
Joe Ejzak graduated cum laude from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and concentrations in the areas of Economics, Mathematics, and Computer Science. He spent his summer of 2008 and beyond as an independent futures analyst. Joe worked with various small industrial companies to effectively hedge their commodity exposures. Joe hopes to leverage his education at Baruch to propel a career in algorithmic trading. In his free time, Joe enjoys playing basketball, weight training, and cooking.
I chose Baruch's MFE program because it seems to embrace a sense of community among the people involved. With the support of the MFE community and the rigorous program, I am confident that my education at Baruch will prepare me for my future career.
Sanket Patel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance (Economics) with a minor in Mathematics from Florida State University. While working as a research assistant there, he authored "Index Arbitrage: A Vector Error Correction Model" – a paper investigated cointegration, mean-reverting, and auto-regressive properties of financial time series. Sanket used the results to write an algorithm to identify and exploit pricing errors between the relative levels of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P500. He also authored "Foreign Equity Capital Flows" – a simple investigation of determinants of foreign equity capital flows. The papers attempted to determine whether the flow of foreign equity capital could be justified via modern portfolio theory. This summer, Sanket will intern at Numerix – a leading provider of pricing and risk analytics tools used by many investment banks and trading desks. Taking courses in the Baruch MFE program since Spring 2009, he is very interested in genetic algorithms and machine learning with a ultimate goal of starting his own high-frequency / stat-arb hedge fund. He enjoys watching all types of sports, but particularly the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. Hobbies include reading financial literature, cooking.
Financial engineering rest on three disciplines: mathematics, computing, and finance. The Baruch MFE provides an excellent mix of all three. Given the applied and hands-on nature of the program, it prepares students for successful careers in the industry. Paired with a director as dedicated as Dr. Stefanica and active alumni community, the program offers an opportunity not found at other schools.
Kiryl Mauryshchau graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer and Information
Science from CUNY's Brooklyn College. The last several years he has been working as a software engineer at Nielsen's IAG Research building massively parallel data warehouses for analytical processing of Market Research data using Oracle and ParAccel databases. After gaining knowledge in financial mathematics he plans to start a career in the niche of technology focused buy-side quantitative development and algorithmic trading. In his spare time Kiryl enjoys spending time with his family, camping, listening to music and playing chess.