Belk College Graduate Student Ambassadors enjoy interacting with potential new students — like you!— and can help answer questions about the program.
Please reach out directly to the Ambassador if there is anything you would like to learn about the M.S. in Mathematical Finance program at UNC Charlotte.
2022-2023 M.S. in Mathematical Finance Ambassador: Robbie Brouillard
Program (Full-Time, Part-Time): Full-Time
Concentration/Area of Emphasis: Data Analytiics
Anticipated Graduation: May 2023
Previous Institutions and Degrees: UNC Charlotte, B.S. in Mathematics for Business with a concentration in Economics & Finance
Favorite Place in Charlotte: zMAX Dragway (technically in Concord, NC)
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Dream Job: Quantitative Analyst for a national or international bank
Why did you choose the Belk College of Business over others? I enjoyed my time as an undergraduate student at UNC Charlotte and felt the best option was to return for my graduate studies. Also, by choosing the Belk College of Business, I was able to take advantage of the Early Entry program, which allowed me to get a jumpstart on my graduate studies while still pursuing my undergraduate degree.
Learning is a team sport
Robbie Brouillard, M.S. in Mathematical Finance Ambassador, reflects on how his UNC Charlotte mentors and peers helped him grow as a student and a person.
As a first-year undergraduate student, if you were to tell me I would not only pursue a master’s degree in mathematical finance but would also serve as the student ambassador for the program, I would have been quite skeptical. Fresh into college, as a stereotypical mathematics major, I was quite shy and definitely not one to take chances or seek out new experiences. That trend continued to be true until one of my professors asked if I would like to become a preceptor for her course. Though scary at first, those courses ended up being my favorite on my schedule. I learned a lot about myself during the semester and seeing my excitement for the material must have been the reason she decided to recommend the M.S. in Mathematical Finance (MAFI) program as the next step in my academic and professional career.
Before being introduced to the program, I hadn’t given much thought to pursuing a graduate education as I wasn’t sure if I could make the academic or financial commitment. However, I found the MAFI Early Entry program to be the perfect stepping stone into my graduate studies. It allows UNC Charlotte undergraduate students to pay undergraduate tuition rates for graduate courses while in the program. During my time as an early entry student, I was able to take three core mathematical finance courses that were credited toward both my undergraduate degree and future graduate studies. This program also offered much more than just monetary benefits. The smaller class sizes allowed me to build better relationships with peers and helped me relinquish the fear of asking questions I developed while taking courses in large lecture halls. It brought me from thinking of learning as a singular endeavor to thinking of it as a collaborative effort between myself, my peers and my professors.
While the MAFI program offers great opportunities within the classroom, it also provides the chance to meet the diverse group of individuals it attracts including returning education and international students. The program usually holds a mixer each semester at different venues around Charlotte. These events offer a fun environment for current students to “blow off some steam” and help newly admitted students acclimate to the community. From these events and interactions in the classroom, I’ve been able to learn immensely about different career paths and cultures. I’ve also been able to make many lifelong friends that I’d otherwise have never met.
My best advice for students thinking about the MAFI program is to reach out to our great staff of representatives to see if it’s the right choice for you. Also, don’t be afraid to take the leap– you never know who you’ll meet or the opportunities you’ll find along the way!