HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 31, 2009 – Students at High Point University can now benefit from a unique new academic facility – The Center for Financial Research is a key feature in the newly opened state-of-the-art Plato S. Wilson School of Commerce.
The center essentially serves as a trading room – making students feel like they’re in the middle of Wall Street, says Dr. Jim Wehrley, dean of the Earl N. Phillips School of Business at HPU.
There, students have the chance to receive real-world, practical learning opportunities. Wehrley says the center includes teaching and research technology, including financial databases, investment software, professional accounting programs, a stock ticker, dual monitors, smart boards, multiple screens and world clocks.
“The state-of-the-art technology helps our students prepare for careers in the financial field by allowing them to track key investments with customized portfolio windows, access profit and loss statements in real-time, and to view the analytic impact of their portfolio performance in a daily, weekly, monthly and annual manner,” says Dr. Steve Lifland, associate professor of finance at HPU. “The center will also serve as a spot to host local and regional financial professionals from such fields as security investments, commercial real estate and investment banking.”
Access to these programs and field experts will give students an advantage when they enter the field.
“The academic benefits of the trading room are endless – it offers both student and faculty research resources, access to real-time data, stock tickers, market indices and a location to meet with local and regional financial professionals,” Lifland adds.
“Our new Plato S. Wilson School of Commerce houses the most business-oriented technology High Point University has ever had,” says Wellington Souza, vice president for information services. “The state-of-the-art trading room provides students with access to information usually available only to institutions in the financial sector.”
At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in a fun environment with caring people. HPU, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a liberal arts institution with 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students from 50 countries and 44 states at campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem. It is ranked by US News and World Report No. 5 among comprehensive universities in the South and No. 1 in its category among up-and-coming schools. Forbes.com ranks HPU in the top 6 percent among “America’s Best Colleges.” HPU was included in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For” 2009 listings. The university offers 68 undergraduate majors, 40 undergraduate minors and seven graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the NCAA, Division I and the Big South Conference. Visit High Point University on the Web at www.highpoint.edu. Chris DudleyVice President for [email protected]