USC Marshall Launches Financial Services Career Hub

USC Marshall School of Business has established a new Financial Services Career Hub to support top-performing finance undergraduates with career preparation and placement beginning this fall 2024. The hub will curate career services for students, connect graduates with recruitment firms, and further elevate Marshall’s standing as a premier institution for finance education.

Founding the hub was made possible by generous gifts from Tim Coleman MBA ’79 and Sharon Kilmer ’80, MBA ’82. Both Coleman and Kilmer are leaders in financial services and are active mentors, sharing their wisdom and advice with Marshall students. That kind of mentorship within the Trojan Network is just one benefit of the Financial Services Career Hub.

“Specialized career services are vital for our undergraduates interested in pursuing careers in finance,” said Dean Geoffrey Garrett. “Thanks to the vision and generosity of Sharon and Tim, our students will have more and better opportunities for success in the highly competitive worlds of investment banking and alternative investments than ever before.”

Julia Plotts, the Peter J. Fluor Family Chair in Teaching Excellence and a professor of clinical finance and business economics, will direct the Financial Services Career Hub. Well-known to Marshall finance students for her courses and connections, she will work with dedicated staff and an advisory board to build a cohesive strategy focused on tailored counseling and recruitment practices, resulting in top placement within competitive finance roles.

“There is a famous saying on Wall Street, ‘Let your winners run.’ We are long-term investors in our finance students, alumni, and employer partners,” remarked Plotts. “Simply put, our goal is to prepare and connect star talent with coveted positions in the financial and investment banking sectors.”

The Financial Services Career Hub will bridge the gap between student aspirations and employer needs by offering specialized resources and support. Students may receive opportunities in education, preparation, mentorship, and networking, while recruiters may have access to information sessions, panels, resume books, and more.

A Future in Finance
According to a recent study published by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, one-quarter of college graduates consider finance the top career sector for its prospects, stability, and salary potential.

In line with the growing trend, Marshall students are also gravitating toward the discipline. Undergraduates have made the finance emphasis the school’s most popular specialization, while graduates have advanced their careers in the #1 ranked MS Finance program.

“Investment banks recruit for their rising senior internship class when students are sophomores, but we’ve seen repeatedly how on-cycle private equity and venture capital recruiting — typically post-investment banking recruiting — is happening very early now too,” Plotts explained. “This indicates why the Financial Services Career Hub is not only a milestone for Marshall, but an absolute necessity for our students to stand out during these cycles.”