More than 70 Belk College students received professional financial training during a two-day workshop in October, funded by the Dean’s Excellence Fund.
Administered through Training the Street, the workshop enabled students to use quantitative and analytical tools to their advantage.
“Financial modeling is a critical, in-demand skill in the workplace,” said Ethan Chiang, associate professor of finance. “The students overwhelmingly appreciated the college's support for this initiative that better prepared them for their job search or daily business operations.” 
“I learned a lot about keyboard shortcuts in Excel, which is really neat because I use Excel a lot. And the tips I learned will help make my processes more efficient.”
- Amelia Ho, business analytics major and Belk Scholar
The Dean’s Excellence Fund was created to supplement Belk College programs with additional learning opportunities and resources for students. Chiang, also chair of the Department of Finance, believes the Dean’s Excellence Fund is an integral part of preparing Belk College students for a career in business.
“Through the fund, these students now have hands-on experience with using spreadsheets to organize, analyze, forecast, and present vital financial information that helps companies to frame crucial operational and financial strategies,” he said.
“The Financial Modeling Workshop was extremely helpful. I learned so much about financial modeling, Microsoft Excel and common finance practices. It’s very useful to anyone who is pursuing a career in finance. My new skills have already proven beneficial to me in my current finance courses. I'm more confident in my abilities, and I can do my assignments in Excel quicker and with a better understanding of financial statements.”
- Mele Naulu, finance major and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
