By Rebecca Silva
BYU''s Finance Society received three new co-presidents last week who will help lead the society through its upcoming year of financial education and service for students.
Alan Heap, Becky Leishman and Chad Jensen stepped into office, ready to plan workshops and schedule guest speakers that will help teach students about finance and give students opportunities to network.
'The Finance Society serves the students of BYU very well,' said Jim Brau, the society''s adviser. 'In the past, we have offered workshops on buying a home, personal financial management, and buying a car, among others.'
Past years'' activities also included workshops on resume building and interviewing techniques. This helped students with important skills that class just didn''t provide.
Members pay $5 per year and attend meetings twice a month in the evenings. The society''s Web site provides a calendar to inform members of meeting days and times as well as scheduled guest speakers.
Leaders and employees from financial corporations speak to students about working in the corporate finance world, giving students an inside look at the industry''s jobs.
'We''re working on getting some speakers for the middle of February,' said Leishman, 21, a finance major from Bountiful, Utah. 'We''re going to try to have a couple activities beneficial to the members with good networking.'
Past speakers included recruiters from Freddie Mac, Ford, IBM and Ernst and Young.
Guest speakers generally speak to the Finance Society twice a month. However, during recruiting season they come once a week.
'The goal is to help (students) get involved and give them exposure to people in the finance world,' said Heap, 23, a finance major from Sidney, Ohio.
Brau said it is valuable for him to meet with recruiters so he can structure his curriculum to help students best compete in the marketplace.
Despite slow progress last year, the society is trying to regain contact with former sponsors and build up the organization, Heap said. 'We''re really looking forward to getting it going again, and maybe even going to some national competitions.'
Past sponsors included Ernst and Young, Anderson, American Express, IBM, Intel and Deloitte and Touche.
'We really appreciate the sponsors of the society,' Brau said. 'Each sponsor generously donates $500 per academic year.'
The new co-presidents not only plan on building sponsorship, but hope to increase the society''s membership as well.
Thirty to 40 members make up the society now, but the new co-presidents are trying to get more members involved, Leishman said.
The co-presidents plan on hosting an opening social Feb. 20 to meet members and develop unity.
'I think it''s a great club to be in,' said Sharlee Hackworth, 21, the society''s treasurer, a finance major from Saint Anthony, Idaho. 'It shows you how to get out there. It teaches you a lot.'