Finance students gain real world experience through Barker Trading program
Graduation can be an intimidating time, but University of Idaho senior Matt Lichtenberg said his involvement in one program on campus prepared him for life after college.
Lichtenberg, a finance major, first became a part of the Barker Capital Management and Trading program three years ago, and said the skills he gained from working in the program are invaluable.
Jackson Flynn | Argonaut
Senior Matt Lichtenberg speaks about life as a business student Wednesday evening.
“The program not only taught me how to invest, but also how to effectively communicate my opinions to others,” Lichtenberg said. “It has provided me with real world experience that I will always be grateful for.”
Lichtenberg said the Barker program, housed by the College of Business and Economics, is an opportunity for students to build finance experience by managing their own portfolios and practicing risk and money management strategies.
He said the program is composed of 22 students and is broken up between analysts, portfolio managers and chief investment officers (CIO).
“You enter as an analyst, and depending on the level of time and effort you put into it, you can move up,” Lichtenberg said. “The first step of leadership is the portfolio manager position and then chief investment officer.”
Lichtenberg, who worked his way up from analyst to CIO, said in addition to investing experience, serving as a CIO helped him become a competent leader.
“Some of my tasks as a CIO include brainstorming new strategies, practice putting money into the market and managing other groups of students,” Lichtenberg said.
“I set a lot of goals, communicate those goals to my group and implement investment strategies, too,” he said.
Although anyone can apply for the program, Lichtenberg said there are certain steps students must take before being admitted, such as enrolling in Business 465.
“(Business) 465 is a basic trading class and serves almost as a screener for the program,” Lichtenberg said. “That’s how I first became involved — I took the class and the professor, Terry Grieb, recommended I give the program a try.”
Lauren Naughton, UI alumna and former Barker CIO, said she was also introduced to the program by professor Grieb and said her participation in the program helped her enter into the workforce after she received her undergraduate degree last year.
She said it is because of faculty members like Grieb that the program is quickly gaining a positive reputation in the workforce.
“I really can’t highlight the instructors of this program enough,” Naughton said. “The faculty members that advise the program are really invested in student success and provide a lot of good guidance … The program wouldn’t be as successful as it is now without them.”
Naughton said the program not only provides students with hands-on finance and marketing experience outside of the classroom, but it also serves as a networking opportunity.
“I received an internship with Nestle thanks to the program, and it eventually turned into a full-time position after college,” Naughton said. “Companies like Nestle have had positive experiences with UI alumni, and corporate recruiters know that students involved in this program have developed a breadth of crucial skills.”
Naughton said the Barker program allows student to develop a wide range of skills beyond standard financing functions.
“I was able to build upon my interpersonal communication skills, leadership and development, and application of learning,” Naughton said. “I was responsible for making investments with real money, and that’s something you can’t get from the classroom alone.”
Corrin Bond can be reached at [email protected]