Written by Hormoz Movassaghi:
It is with deep mixed feelings that we share the departure of professors Jason Muenzen and Steven Novakovic, as faculty members in the Department of Finance and International Business effective April 1, 2022. They exemplified a “student-centered” faculty in the most holistic sense of the word during their tenure of 5-6 years at IC!
Jay and Steve contributed significantly to the Finance program by developing and teaching several new courses, semester long or block (half a semester), in the Asset Management and Wealth Management Finance tracks, including two courses involving the management of the South Hill Fund: Equity Portfolio Management (Jay) and Fixed Income Analysis and Portfolio Management (Steve). They took Finance students to a variety of field trips such as “Meet the Firms” in NYC, Koch Industries and Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting in Kansas and Nebraska, G.A.M.E. conference in NYC; mentored students in several case competition such as CFA Challenge, Adirondack Cup, and Analyst Showdown, devoting months of their time and efforts; facilitated connecting students with the Finance alumni and other industry executives in learning about internship and career opportunities, and provided ongoing guidance for students’ intellectual and professional development, be it the courses that they taught, preparing students for licensures in such exams as CFA, or preparation for interviews. Last, and certainly not least, they provided impactful service to the Department, School, and Ithaca College through membership/leadership in a variety of committees and engagement with recruiting efforts in area and regional high schools.
We wish them all the best in their return to industry!
Department of Finance and International Business is pleased to announce joining of three part time faculty who graciously stepped into teaching Jay and Steve’s courses, effective April 1, ensuring continuity of the delivery of those courses. They include professor Negin Mosleh (MSC-Statistics and Business Analytics) teaching Introduction to Python Programming with Application in Finance; professor Matthew Fox (CMT, MBA, Founder & Wealth Advisor), teaching the Equity Portfolio Management and Fixed Income Analysis, and professor Steve Symonds (Partner, Investor Relations, Pershing Square Capital Management until his retirement in 2018), teaching Senior Seminar in Finance.
Welcome aboard!