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How successful was Auburn鈥檚 chapter this year?

The organization was nominated for five of the university鈥檚 12 Student Involvement Awards 鈥� and won three. FMA members participated in six national case competitions 鈥� and won more than $45,000 in scholarships and equity funding. There鈥檚 more -- outgoing chapter President Jordan Carr was named Auburn University Male Student Leader of the Year.

It鈥檚 no wonder that Tracy Richard, a finance instructor at the 91看片 College and FMA director, earned Auburn University鈥檚 Corey Edwards Organization Advisor of the Year and Parents鈥� Association Faculty and Staff Awards.

Carr, a rising senior in engineering, considers Richard (top left in the photo above) the 鈥渄riving force鈥� behind the association鈥檚 achievements. 鈥淔MA was founded four years ago when Tracy saw a need to develop and train top students interested in finance to be more competitive in the job market,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat she created with her students has grown into an organization that is far more than just a professional society 鈥� it is a support network for students that exposes them to different areas of finance and helps them get to the area they decide on.鈥�

FMA鈥檚 programming includes career prep, networking, industry exposure, mentoring and additional academic training. To be considered for membership, students must maintain a 3.5 GPA, be at least a second-semester freshman, and be pursuing either a finance degree or have a genuine interest in a finance career with an equivalently difficult major (20 percent of FMA members are currently pursuing engineering degrees). A panel of FMA officers selects new members after a round of applications and interviews.

Richard, who pointed out that this year鈥檚 FMA graduates will earn an average starting compensation of $93,600, believes the organization gives students the tools necessary to compete with peers from the core investment banking schools.

鈥淭he finance department has an amazing faculty. As we grow and strengthen FMA, so too are we focused on tangentially drawing on the available academic expertise to create an integrated major 鈥� one that includes both outstanding teaching and excellent career preparation,鈥� she said.

How does FMA succeed? Ownership, drive, and attitude, Richard said, giving the students credit. 鈥淗ow can you not be amazed by students that seek challenges, work tirelessly to accomplish their goals and then turn around and help the next in line?鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur seniors spend countless hours helping our younger members, and it doesn鈥檛 stop there. FMA alumni are incredibly engaged. They recognize what the organization provided them, and they have a vested interest in its future.鈥�