KENNESAW, Ga. | May 18, 2020

For thousands of Kennesaw State students each semester, graduation represents a defining moment. It is an opportunity to reflect on their entire educational journey – the mentors they found, the friendships they made and the opportunities they seized. In recognition of that, we are spotlighting students who are completing their final semesters at KSU.

Finance grads Vinny Rosamilia and Nicholas Busson talk about how their involvement in the Coles College Student Managed Investment Fund helped them find their wings. Here they share their story in their own words.

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Vinny Rosamilia:

I joined the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), eventually becoming its chief executive officer – and where I acquired most of my finance skills.

In fact, being in SMIF made my classes easier because it blended the material and formulas learned in class, with real-world applications. This allowed me to better understand the material covered in my classes because I was able to see how it was used in business.

Through SMIF, I competed in the CFA Institute Research Challenge, a global, seven-month project. There are 58 regions in the U.S., with each region assigned a local company. Our team’s assignment was Coca-Cola and we were tasked with creating a financial report and presentation. The report phase took us the entire Fall 2019 semester to complete.

We went on to win the Southern Classic round – beating teams from schools like Auburn, Emory, Clemson, Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia Tech – placing first in both the report and presentation phases. We participated in the Americas round, competing against teams from North, South and Central America.

Nicholas Busson:

During my time at KSU, I was a member of the Model United Nations, Student Government Association and the Student Managed Investment Fund.

The Student Managed Investment Fund helped me apply what I was learning in the classroom to real-world situations, and it helped me get an internship at SunTrust (now called Truist), and a full-time job offer at Wells Fargo.

The biggest challenge I have faced is competing in the CFA Institute Research Challenge - Southern Classic.

It was a seven-month process, and one of the most difficult and, at the same time, one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life. Our team won the Southeastern Regional, beating Emory’s MBA team, as well as teams from Georgia Tech, UGA and Clemson.

It’s been a great experience and I have been able to travel to numerous places because of KSU’s financial support, including Scotland, New York and Chicago.

After Graduation

Vinny Rosamilia:

I applied to over 100 positions and didn’t hear back from most of them, but I overcame this roadblock because of SMIF and its expanding alumni network. Through a SMIF mentor, who I found through LinkedIn, I was given an opportunity to interview with the Georgia Office of the State Treasurer and was offered a position. It is the closest thing to a dream job one could hope for right out of college.

Nicholas Busson:

I am very excited to graduate because I’m looking forward to starting my career. I will be moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, to work for Wells Fargo. Eventually, I would like to pursue an MBA and a CFA license.

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.