Marquette University’s Applied Investment Management (AIM)
program is expanding and will offer a second track in Private Equity &
Banking. Since 2005 the AIM program has allowed a select group of finance
majors to get hands-on academic and financial analysis experience, including an
opportunity to actively manage domestic and international equity and
fixed-income portfolios.
In addition to the original track (which is focused on
publicly traded investments), the newly developed Private Equity and Banking
track concentrates on private and transactional finance.
“Expanding AIM is a direct response to increased interest
from employers and finance students, and builds off of the college’s expertise
in applied business education,” Interim Dean Mark Eppli said.
Nearly 70 students last year competed for the 24 coveted AIM
seats, and many students nationwide choose Marquette’s College of Business
Administration specifically for the AIM program. Eppli added that firms worldwide
are allocating more investments into the private equity space and that demand
for entry level research analysts is growing. Areas to be covered within the
curriculum include: early stage venture capital investing, middle market
banking, distressed debt, emerging markets, leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions,
and mezzanine financing.
Dr. David
Krause, adjunct associate professor of finance who has led AIM since its
inception in 2005, is excited about the program’s growth. “More students will
have the opportunity to receive AIM’s rigorous education and career
preparation, benefit from new internship experiences, and achieve broader
career opportunities,” he said. “Tapping Mark Zellmer to co-lead the new program
track is a coup for the College.”
As part of the expansion, Mark
Zellmer was named in July as the new co-director of Private Equity
& Banking track. A Marquette undergraduate and MBA alumnus, Zellmer has
been a popular adjunct instructor since the mid-1990’s. Chairman and majority
shareholder of Northern Oak Wealth Management Inc., he has extensive expertise
in financing and investing in privately held companies, and he will teach
courses in the new track.
Zellmer will work closely with Krause on the program’s
numerous applied learning components, including internships, career
development, alumni mentorships, industry networking and student clubs.
“I’ve worked alongside Mark for nearly a decade, and he’s
the perfect person to help support AIM’s growth,” Krause said. “He’s not only a
seasoned industry veteran, but he’s also an excellent, highly regarded
instructor.”
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The AIM program was the first undergraduate business program
selected as a Program Partner by the CFA Institute. The partnership designation
means that Marquette University offers a degree program that covers at least 70
percent of the CFA Institute’s Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, the CFA
Institute Ethical and Professional Standards, and other requirements. Since the
first class graduated in 2006, over 45 AIM alumni have passed all three levels
of the challenging CFA exam.
An open house will be held on Friday, August 29th
at 2:00 in the AIM Room. The topics will include the new AIM track and the
application process.
