Blue Blazers Travel to Big Apple for Annual Trip
Last week, 14 Westminster students in the Blue Blazers Investment Committee (BBIC) visited New York City to learn about the world of Wall Street firsthand, making this the 8th time the group has traveled to the Big Apple.
Highlights of the trip included visiting the New York Stock Exchange, JP Morgan Asset Management, Bloomberg Business News, Wells Fargo Securities, GAMCO/Cabelli Funds, the Museum of American Finance (an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution), and attending the opening bell ceremony at NASDAQ OMX.
“Talking with traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange was a great experience for me,” says Will Miller ’16. “This trip definitely allowed me to develop some business connections that will help me throughout my career.”
“This trip was a great experience because we all got to learn about value traps, practice networking skills, and ask questions of those more knowledgeable than us,” says Amelia Ayers ’16.
The group also attended an alumni reception at the famous New York Athletic Club.
“Being able to connect with alumni throughout the trip was very beneficial for me,” says Grant Peterson ’17. “It allowed me to both learn how Blue Blazers has changed over the years and expanded my network of connections.”
The trip is planned and coordinated by Brock Ayers, ’82, BBIC founder and mentor to the group, and the group’s advisor, Dr. Edward Mirielli, Chair of the Computer Science Department, with the assistance of Wells Fargo Advisors. Ayers is a Financial Advisor and First Vice-President-Investments at Wells Fargo Advisors and is a member of the Westminster College Board of Trustees.
“Every one of our Blue Blazers returns from New York with advice for being successful in the market world and guidance for their careers,” says Ayers. “Frequently, the time they are able to spend with Westminster alumni that are working in the New York financial markets opens up doors for them, leading to internships and employment.”
Westminster alumni generously supported the 2016 trip. Westminster students on the 2016 trip included:
Seniors—Amelia Ayers from Ballwin, MO, Olivia Gibby from Little Rock, AR, Kunzes Dolma Dumbang from Leh Ladakh, India, Ryan Loethen from St. Elizabeth, MO, William Miller from St. Louis, and Blake Stonecipher from Wildwood, MO;
Juniors—Jordan Cox from Lees Summit, MO, Grant Peterson from Chillicothe, MO; Kaitlin Fitzpatrick from Batavia, IL, Blake Harris from Oklahoma City, OK; Robyn Parkinson from St. Louis, MO, Kenneth Schmidt from St. Louis, MO; and Jakob Shill from Mesa, AZ; and
Sophomore—Percy Vanacht from Chesterfield, MO.
Established in 1996, the BBIC is a selective, student maintained investment committee that encourages intellectual growth and educates undergraduates on the use of investment vehicles in capital markets. To learn more about the group you can click here.
