Student Finance Association Spring 2025 Meetings

Posted on 5/16/25 9:26 AM

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The Student Finance Association appreciates all the guest speakers who gave their time to speak to the SFA in spring 2025. Whether meeting on campus or engaging via Zoom, each speaker offered students helpful information on career trajectories, academic achievement, and networking practices.

Here is a snapshot of the guest speakers invited for the SFA meetings in spring 2025:

Thursday, February 13: Sean Barber, an alumnus of IUP and a principal at the private equity firm Hamilton Lane, joined the SFA via Zoom. He shared his experience entering the job market as an accountant at SEI Investments Co. before transitioning to working in the private markets. He offered insights into the growing private market asset class and the differences between private and public market investing. He also answered questions about client relations, financial modeling, and interview tips, offering valuable guidance for students interested in careers in finance.
Thursday, February 27: Patrick LeViseur, a financial advisor from PNC, met with the SFA via Zoom to discuss financial advising as a career path. He highlighted the rewarding aspects of helping families plan for their futures as well as the challenge of advising on issues such as death and inheritance. He discussed the experiences of working as a financial advisor within a well-established bank versus working independently and elaborated on the client-based nature of this career. To close the meeting, he offered to connect with any student looking to learn more about financial advising.
Thursday, March 27: Mike Secrist, an IUP alumnus and a VP of data analytics at Alliant Insurance Services, spoke at a joint meeting of the SFA, SMIP, and the Economics Club. He discussed his work with data analytics to consult companies on their various employee benefit programs. In response to audience questions about the use of AI, he addressed the cybersecurity risks of using third-party AIs, especially when handling private health data. Additionally, he encouraged business students to consider pursuing a minor or major in applied statistics, noting that his minor in this field was beneficial during his job interviews.
Thursday, April 10: Brendan Bash, an IUP alumnus and a VP of capital markets at CBRE, joined SFA in person to share insights from his career in commercial real estate. Bash began his career working in a small family office, working on commercial real estate deals before joining CBRE. He discussed the differences between working for a small business versus a large corporation like CBRE and his responsibilities in facilitating significant real estate transactions between buyers. He also provided an overview of the various sectors within the commercial real estate industry and offered practical advice for students interested in launching careers in real estate.
Tuesday, April 22: Tavan Davis, an IUP alumnus, joined SFA and SMIP for a joint Zoom meeting to share his career journey from IUP to his current role as a credit analyst at Goldman Sachs. He explained his work by analyzing credit terms for complex deals involving various sources of leverage and emphasized the learning curve of working with large numbers and the attention to detail required to succeed in his role. He also highlighted the value of internships as a pathway to full-time opportunities and encouraged students to reach out for further advice and mentorship after the session.