Finance
Danielle Arno
Co-Director
Carter McKenna
Co-Director
Jonathan Su
Co-Director
Brynn Wilary
Co-Director
Mission Statement
To provide participants ample opportunities to apply financial valuation models in first hand, real world applications. Through project participation and dialogues with industry experts, members expand their financial lexicon, foster meaningful relationships, and develop essential business skills and professional etiquette.
Projects
Mondays 6:30
Debart 210
*Debart 245 on 1/26
Participants will analyze a potential merger or acquisition. The project will consist of a blend of quantitative and qualitative analysis from equity research and investment banking. Topics will range from simple company overviews to advanced modeling. Students will ultimately present to Robert W. Baird in their Chicago office.
Project Leaders:
Application Only
Email PLs for details
Students will conduct credit, financial, and market analyses, and evaluate three proposed LBO financing structures to support a Private Equity sponsor’s bid to take a company private. The project will be traveling to New York City. Applications are required, as there are a limited number of competitive spots available.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 8:00
Debart 215
Bank of America Sales and Trading (S&T) provides clients with market access, liquidity, and risk management across equities, fixed income, currencies, and commodities. The team combines market expertise, technology, and global distribution to execute trades efficiently and support institutional and corporate investment strategies. Project primarily focused on S&T.
Project Leaders:
Application Only
Email PLs for details
Two teams of students will be selected to create an investment memo for a mock leveraged buyout of a publicly traded company. The teams will directly interact with investment professionals from Blackstone Infrastructure Partners (BIP) and Blackstone Capital Partners (BCP). Proposals will be presented at Blackstone's headquarters in New York City.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 6:00
Debart 216
Students will evaluate the merits of several financing structures for a take-private transaction for a hypothetical Private Equity client of BMO. Ultimately, students will recommend a structure to professionals at BMO through a presentation at the conclusion of the project.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 7:00
Debart 216
Constitutional Capital Partners is a private investment firm that partners with management teams to provide flexible capital and strategic support for long-term growth. The firm focuses on disciplined investing, value creation, and aligning interests with founders and operators to build sustainable businesses.
Project Leaders:
San Francisco
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Mondays 6:30
Debart 217
DBO Partners was a San Francisco-based independent investment bank,
known for advising tech and other industry leaders on M&A and capital raises, but was acquired by Piper Sandler in late 2022, integrating its team and
expertise into Piper Sandler's technology banking platform. Students will present to team members in the San Francisco office.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 7:00
Debart 217
Selected students will analyze and provide strategic advice to a client. Each
team will perform analyses of the industry and the company, exploring various
strategic options such as equity or debt issuance, company sale, and
acquisition. Ultimately, each team will present a single recommendation.
Project Leaders:
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Application Only
Email PLs for details
Students will be selected to analyze and strategically advise the same client. Each team will conduct industry and company analyses and analyze different strategic alternatives for the company including but not limited to an equity or debt issuance, a sale of the company, and an acquisition. One recommendation will emerge
Project Leaders:
Mondays 7:30
Debart 216
Students will look at three consumer-focused companies in the same competitive space and ultimately select one business to invest in from the perspective of a mutual fund. Students will learn about the investment process, judging risks and merits and valuation techniques through a blend of quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 5:30
Debart 210
Students will be selected to analyze a set of fixed-income trading
instruments’ performance and create a model determining a repeatable
strategy to trade these instruments successfully. You will work with traders
and portfolio managers at Garda, a tier one Hedge Fund, to complete a
project similar to that of an analyst on their investment team.
Project Leaders:
Application Only
Email PLs for details
Students will be selected to analyze and strategically advise the same client. Each team will conduct industry and company analyses and analyze different strategic alternatives for the company including but not limited to an equity or debt issuance, a sale of the company, and an acquisition. One recommendation will emerge.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 5:30
Debart 217
Participants will act as associates in a private equity fund seeking to perform a heavily debt-financed leverage buyout of a public company. Teams will first examine industry companies, trends, and characteristics before the target buyout company is chosen. The target company will be valued using DCF modeling and precedent transactions.
Project Leaders:
Team 1
Mondays 6:00
Debart 217
Participants will act as associates in a private equity fund seeking to perform a heavily debt-financed leverage buyout of a public company. Teams will first examine industry companies, trends, and characteristics before the target buyout company is chosen. The target company will be valued using DCF modeling and precedent transactions.
Project Leaders:
Team 2
Mondays 7:00
Debart 215
Houlihan Lokey, Inc., is an American multinational independent investment bank and financial services company. Houlihan Lokey was founded in 1972 and is headquartered at Constellation Place in Century City, Los Angeles, California. The firm advises large public and closely held companies as well as institutions and governments.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 5:30
Debart 215
Project Leaders:
Jefferies Group is an American multinational independent investment bank and financial services company that is headquartered in New York City. The firm provides clients with capital markets and financial advisory services, institutional brokerage, securities research, and asset management.
Mondays 6:00
Debart 215
Lincoln International LLC is a multinational independent investment bank and financial services company specializing in advisory services and financings on middle market transactions. The firm works with publicly traded and privately owned companies, financial sponsors, and lenders.
Project Leaders:
Application Only
Email PLs for Details
Students will strategically advise a client in an M&A scenario. Teams will conduct in depth analyses to evaluate strategic alternatives for the client including but not limited to an acquisition, a sale, or an equity / debt issuance. Ultimately, teams will pitch their recommendations to Morgan Stanley professionals in New York City.
Project Leaders:
Mondays 5:00
Debart 215
Project Leaders:
Piper Sandler, a leading investment bank and institutional brokerage,
operates across investment banking, public finance, and equity research.
Selected students will present to the New York City office and engage in a
Real Estate M&A project in collaboration with the firm.
Mondays 5:30
Debart 216
Project Leaders:
Pritzker Private Capital (PPC) is a family-backed private investment firm that partners with middle-market companies to support long-term growth and value creation. The firm provides patient capital and strategic resources, focusing on building strong businesses through operational excellence and aligned partnerships.
Mondays 7:30
Debart 215
Project Leaders:
RBC Capital Markets, the investment banking arm of Royal Bank of Canada,
operates across investment banking, corporate banking, and markets.
Selected students will present to the New York City office and engage in a
finance-focused project in collaboration with the firm.
Mondays 6:30
Debart 215
Project Leaders:
Truist Securities is the corporate and investment banking arm of Truist Financial, providing advisory, capital raising, and risk management solutions to middle-market and large corporate clients across the U.S., with sector expertise spanning healthcare, financial services, consumer, energy, and industrials.
