We receive 75-100 applications each year.

It varies. We typically bring 14-16 students to New York each year. Panthers on Wall Street is a very competitive program.

Yes. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible.

We are looking for students who are majoring in finance, accounting, actuarial science, risk management and insurance, and mathematical risk management. However, in the past we have accepted students from computer information systems and business economics.

Some do. Many students arrange for interviews in advance of the trip, and sometimes the companies we meet extend invitations to certain students to interview. However, most students stay in New York a couple of extra days in order to follow up with contacts and attend interviews.

Yes. So far, about 20-25% of students who have made the trip are currently working in NYC. Many see NYC as their career destination at some point in the future.

Busy. We begin our day early with some meetings starting before 7:00 a.m. We usually don’t finish until after 9:00 p.m. You can expect to be in as many as four or five meetings each day and to walk up to five miles daily at a brisk New York pace.

While meetings take place Monday through Wednesday, Panthers are expected to arrive in New York City on the Sunday before. We use Sunday afternoon to explore the city. Students are given options for exploring specific venues as a group, while others elect to explore New York on their own.

Each meeting is unique. Some are more formal while others focus on whatever is important to the company on that particular day. In all cases, companies will be looking for students to be knowledgeable about their company, ask insightful questions, and actively participate.

Panthers on Street is an initiative of the Robinson College of Business that launched in 2008. Given the unfolding financial crisis, it was a challenging time to go to Wall Street. Jason Aldrich pitched the concept to Robinson’s board of advisers at its fall 2007 meeting hosted by Rick Lenny, who was CEO of the Hershey Company at the time. Jefferson Harralson, now associate director of research at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods offered to help launch the idea and became a Panthers on Wall Street champion.

As part of a Panthers on Wall Street cohort, each student attends lectures on the legal and ethical environment of business and “Wall Street speak” (what it’s like to work on Wall Street). Students participate in team building exercises, get specific guidance on resume building, and practice their meeting etiquette by visiting Atlanta-based financial institutions. They also get Bloomberg Professional Service training, are required to earn Bloomberg certification, and take a Microsoft Excel class. The competition for Wall Street jobs is intense, so we make sure you’re well prepared.

Each participant is required to pay for his/her transportation to and from New York, plus a $150.00 commitment fee to Georgia State University. The program pays for your hotel, subway, and most other meals.

For the last several years we have stayed at the New York Athletic Club (59th Street and 7th Avenue).

Despite its size, New York is a very walkable city. When walking to the next meeting isn’t an option, we make use of the city’s Subway system.

Attendance at the training sessions is mandatory. If you’re unable to commit to attending the sessions, we will replace you with someone else.

No. Since most Wall Street firms do not actively recruit at Georgia State, Panthers on Wall Street was created to introduce our best and brightest to New York City firms with the expectation that many/most will seek jobs there. If your interest in the program is for anything other than securing a job in the world’s financial center, this is probably not the program for you.

Yes. Panthers on Wall Street alumni are very active. They meet regularly and stay connected. They also support you during the trip. Most of the funding for the trip comes from Georgia State alumni as well as Panthers on Wall Street alumni donations. If you are selected for the program, we expect you to become actively involved in this group, too.