Hobart and William Smith Colleges is adding 12 Bloomberg Terminals this fall, giving students access to the same financial data and analytics platform used by investment bankers, portfolio managers and other finance professionals.
The terminals are being introduced through the new Melly Institute for Business, Innovation and Leadership, which was established with a $70 million gift from Trustee Chair Emeritus L. Thomas Melly ’52, L.H.D. ’02 and Judith Hershey Melly L.H.D. ’16.
Students will be able to use the system to track live market data, research companies and securities, analyze trading activity and build financial models.
The equipment will initially be installed in the Warren Hunting Smith Library before moving into a dedicated Bloomberg Lab in Williams Hall once the Melly Institute’s permanent space is completed.
Students will use system in classes and certifications
Assistant Professor of Business Management and Entrepreneurship Shanxiang Yang plans to incorporate Bloomberg data and analytics into corporate finance coursework, including projects focused on corporate governance, investment and financing decisions.
Students in his courses will also complete Bloomberg Finance Fundamentals, a certification covering investing, risk and portfolio management.
Associate Professor of Economics H. Evren Damar is using Bloomberg Market Concepts in his Money & Financial Markets course.
The system is intended to give students experience with tools they may encounter in internships and finance-related jobs.
Pamela Young, executive director of the Melly Institute, said the terminals will allow faculty to bring real-time market information, financial news, economic indicators and professional analytics into classroom assignments.
HWS students bring Bloomberg experience back to campus
Two HWS economics majors, Tru Styles ’27 and Conor Lally ’27, spent the summer working as Analytics & Sales interns at Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York City.
Their training included equities, fixed income, foreign exchange and private markets, along with how clients use the Bloomberg Terminal.
Both are returning to campus as Melly Fellows and will help other students learn how to use the platform.
Bloomberg Relationship Manager Kelsie Worth ’22 is also scheduled to visit campus Sept. 11 to demonstrate the system and discuss her career path. The session is planned for 2 to 3 p.m. in the Barron Computer Lab.
Students can compete in $1 million virtual trading challenge
The Bloomberg access also opens the door for HWS students to participate in the company’s annual Global Trading Challenge.
Teams of two to five students manage a $1 million virtual portfolio using Bloomberg Terminals and compete against more than 2,000 teams worldwide.
Participants must develop market assumptions, build an investment strategy and make trades over the course of the competition.
Performance is measured against the Bloomberg World Large, Mid & Small Cap Price Return Index.
Yang said the competition requires students to combine financial analysis with independent decision-making and teamwork.
Registration closes Oct. 4, and the challenge runs from Oct. 12 through Nov. 13.
Winners are scheduled to be announced Nov. 20. Prizes include iPad Pros for team members and faculty advisers, certificates and networking opportunities with Bloomberg recruiting.
Part of broader Melly Institute expansion
The Bloomberg Terminals are one part of a larger expansion of business education at HWS through the Melly Institute.
Yang and Assistant Professor Bryan Adams joined the Colleges this fall as Melly Endowed Chairs, while Young began serving as executive director in August.
The first floor of Williams Hall is also being renovated to house the institute’s faculty, students and programs.
The goal is to combine HWS’s liberal arts curriculum with more applied training in business, finance, innovation and leadership.
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