Building Bridges: Collaboration At Boston University Questrom School Of Business Elevates Finance Career Preparation

Another example of a successful collaboration is the Wall Street Trek, a collaborative effort between the BUFC, faculty, alumni, and the Feld Center, that provides sophomores with invaluable real-world exposure. Targeting students aiming for highly competitive internships, the trek offers an immersive experience in New York City, where participants engage directly with BU alumni working in finance.

The trek features firm visits, presentations, panel discussions, and networking events designed to introduce students to the realities of working in investment banking, private equity, and asset management. By visiting top firms and interacting with alumni, students gain firsthand insights into the skills and mindset required to succeed in these fields.

What makes the trek particularly impactful is its alignment with the early recruiting timelines of top finance firms. For sophomores, this is a chance to ask informed questions, showcase their passion for the industry, and establish meaningful connections with professionals who often serve as mentors throughout their career journeys. Questrom’s Industry Relations Managers Joe Saunders and Jeff Grossman play a critical role in connecting students with top finance firms and leveraging alumni networks for student visits. Faculty ensure that students are prepared to engage meaningfully, and student club leaders liaise with alumni, organizes logistics, and provide peer mentorship to guide participants. Together, these efforts ensure that students are not only academically prepared but also professionally polished and confident.

“We have alumni working in finance who are eager to bring Questrom talent to their firms,” said Martha Day Sanford, Executive Director of Industry Engagement at Questrom. “Collaborations with faculty and student clubs enable us to get everyone on the same page in terms of accelerated recruiting timelines and interview readiness.”

For students concentrating in finance, these collaborative initiatives are invaluable. The careers they pursue demand a unique blend of technical expertise, analytical rigor, and interpersonal skills—qualities that are best cultivated through a combination of classroom learning, real-world exposure, and professional development. Collaborations with faculty and career services provide students with a distinct competitive advantage.

Questrom Dean Susan Fournier has made career readiness a key priority throughout her tenure, allocating resources and encouraging faculty and staff to think creatively about how to best support students to be “Day One Ready” in their careers. Partnership models involving faculty, career services, and students foster a culture of collaboration and innovation and empower students to have agency in their own career development, which has enabled Questrom to build a pipeline of talented, prepared, and driven graduates ready to excel on day one of their careers.

As Associate Dean of the

Feld Center, Monica Parker-James leads the industry engagement, career services, career operations, and alumni engagement teams at the Boston University Questrom School of Business. Parker-James is an accomplished leader with 30 years of experience in formal and informal education, including 10 years in higher education and 20 years in museum education.  Her areas of expertise include organizational leadership, change management, strategic planning, quality improvement, program and event development, and project management.  Parker-James holds a BS and MS in Mass Communication and a Graduate Certificate in Fundraising, all from Boston University, and an EdD from Northeastern University, with a concentration in Organizational Leadership.

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