NASDAQ Trip

CHRISTINA HUERTA-STYLIANOU ‘24

On January 31st, 17 students from Ursuline’s Lab for Financial Markets and Literacy had the opportunity of visiting the NASDAQ’s Time Square Studio for the closing bell ceremony to get a glimpse into the world of finance. Ava Snyder, a junior who took the class during the first semester, shares her experience attending the ceremony: “It was really informative to see a financial market in person. It helped me in the class by giving me insight into what the workplace is like in finance careers.”

Last fall, Ursuline’s first Lab for Financial Markets and Literacy was introduced as a means of supporting girls who wish to pursue business. Ursuline created the class in response to the ongoing issue of the underrepresentation of women in the world of finance and the need for women to learn about personal finance and the global markets. The goal of the program is to teach girls financial literacy and financial concepts so they can apply their knowledge to their personal financial planning. The program was taught by Ursuline’s own highly skilled onsite financial expert, Jill Patricot, who integrated enriching activities into the class such as team projects and real-world case studies to help students develop an understanding of complex financial ideas. Patricot helped girls work towards their Bloomberg certification, an e-learning course that provides an introduction to the context of financial markets and practices using the Bloomberg terminal.

The NASDAQ closing bell marked the culmination of the class for students. “The class and the Bloomberg certification gave me an edge and a better idea about the economics of the country and will help me as I study business in college,” Ava reflected.