Charles Pompei graduated in 2015 with a major in economics. During his last semesters on campus, he was the vice president of the College’s Student Investment Club, AKA SIG.
To Pompei, and to most who have been a part of it, SIG’s value and relevance to everyday life is immediately evident. “Above all else, the goal of SIG is to educate. From there, we are fortunate enough to be able to test our theories and learn from those who have invested before us.” SIG is open to all students, with or without prior know-how, and gives students invaluable hand-on experience in financial investments.
“I implore everyone to learn a thing or two about investing. Sooner or later, most students will be tasked with configuring their 401ks or 403bs.” Managing money and planning for retirement both play an important role in one’s life. “Having the ability to read the headline from a popular financial periodical and adjust your investments accordingly might just pay dividends (pun intended).”
SIG is where you can get the experience to navigate your financial future more smoothly. And for those who would like to make a career in finance, as Pompei has, the group providesthe kind of confidence only experience can offer. Pompei is now a financial analyst at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). There, he is responsible for ensuring that projects operate within financial limits.
When asked how the club prepared him for the job, his answer was immediate. “The Student Investment Group (SIG), much like the economics department, encourages students to view life as a series of investment decisions,” he explained. “These decisions could be as simple as determining what time you wake up in the morning.” This is what is called ‘opportunity cost,’ a mindset he finds particularly beneficial in a finance-related field.