From Thursday, Sept. 24 to Friday, Sept. 25, the Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business hosted “From DoG Street to Wall Street.” This annual event brings together students, faculty and alumni from numerous departments at the College of William and Mary, as well as professionals for opportunities to network and explore careers in finance. For its 20th anniversary, the event featured a distinguished keynote speaker, panel discussions with industry-leading business professionals and extensive networking opportunities. Co-hosted with the Howard J. Busbee Finance Academy student organization and the College’s Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement, this event offered the chance for students to engage in meaningful one-on-one conversations with possible mentors.
On the first day of the event, students chose between two panels: Early Career Success or Finance 101. Early Career Success was specifically designed for seniors and recent graduates looking for insight into their careers. The Finance 101 panel, on the other hand, was an introduction to any student interested in maturing their knowledge of finance. This panel included speakers Mike Field ’90, P ’17, P ’19, P ’27, Sitara Sundar ’15 and Lynsey Prout ’20. Each panelist offered information for students by discussing their respective career growth, what their day-to-day work involves and how students can consistently improve themselves. They also addressed major trends changing the finance industry, such as AI, the recruiting process and the importance of relational skills.
Following these panels was a keynote address on leadership by entrepreneur Joseph J. Plumeri II ’66, D.P.S. ’11, chairman at Insurance Advisory Partners, an investment banking consulting firm. After an introduction by College President Katherine Rowe, Plumeri began his speech, which emphasized the importance of genuine care and compassion in leadership. He expanded on this topic, stating that visionary leaders create environments that make dreams come true and make change happen, encouraging a positive culture within the workplace. Plumeri further stressed that bold leaders will clear a path for others, instead of following paths that are already well-trodden.
The second day of the event furthered students’ knowledge of topics mentioned the day before, offering many opportunities for learning through various panels on research, entrepreneurship and different forms of finance.
President of the Finance Academy David Kordziel ’27 helped organize “From DoG Street to Wall Street.”. He claimed that viewing the event through the eyes of an organizer rather than an attendee lent him a more in-depth perspective on its value.
“In the last three years, I was on the other side, so I was just a student coming to the event, and now running it, it’s definitely challenging, more than I thought,” he said. “You get to meet a lot of people, and I’ve been knowing these people for the last three years, so it’s good to keep seeing them come back, and it’s just a great time.”
For students enrolled in the course Essentials of Business, attending “From DoG Street to Wall Street” is a required class component. The Essentials of Business course prepares students who want to enter the school of business, exposing them to the rigor of the business world. Attendee Reagan Garnsey ’29 expanded on her thoughts on the class.
“Taking Essentials of Business has given me such a great foundation in business and given me, so far, a great introduction to the different areas, so then I get a more comprehensive understanding of what business actually looks like from a variety of different perspectives,” she said.
Moving beyond the classroom, however, Tina Foraker-Blackwell, Faculty Executive Director for the Boehly Center, attested that students gain experience through events like “From DoG Street to Wall Street” that cannot be obtained purely through a textbook.
“You have to have those good skills, but being able to apply them, being able to talk to people that have done this, that have dealt with uncertainty, have had to manage risk, that just brings a different element to the student experience and complements what they’ve learned in the classroom to help propel them into a successful place when they leave the hallowed halls of William and Mary and take on a professional role,” Foraker-Blackwell said.
By opening up the world of finance and allowing students to engage with professionals, “From DoG Street to Wall Street” aims to create lasting professional knowledge and relationships that can be used long past graduation. This year celebrated the 20th anniversary of the event and highlighted two decades of networking opportunities for students, increased growth in the Raymond A. Mason School of Business community and the joy of working with other passionate individuals. Foraker-Blackwell expanded on the importance of what these 20 years mean to the College community.
“Twenty years ago, we had the idea to bring the world of finance to Williamsburg so that we could open up the world of finance to more students,” she said. “We hope in coming away from this event that our students can really learn by engaging with these professionals, being able to ask questions, have those casual conversations in the hallway and learn the value of paying it forward.”
