Partnership with GARP yields scholarships, certification programs and global network
September 2020 – Drew University has partnered with the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), a leading organization in the risk management industry.
The academic partnership will provide students in the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies’ Master in Finance program access to scholarships, highly regarded certification programs, research fellowship opportunities and a global network of more than 200,000 certified professionals.
In a matter of days since mentioning the partnership to students, Steve Firestone, assistant teaching professor and director of the Master in Finance program, has already had a group of students express strong interest in taking the first level of GARP’s Financial Risk Management (FRM) program.
“Some of our MFin students will also likely pursue the GARP fellowships by conducting risk management research during the summer they fulfill our program’s internship or capstone requirements,” suggested Firestone.
Firestone designed the MFin program’s core course in financial risk management to incorporate the latest thinking in market risk, credit risk and enterprise risk, overlapping significantly with topics included in GARP’s FRM certification program and thereby improving the MFin program quality for the partnership.
“Having the academic partnership in place means that we are committed to staying current with the latest developments in the risk management industry and incorporating them into our classes,” he said.
"It’s really a win-win for both the students and the university."
“The Master of Finance degree offered by the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies is a highly rigorous program,” said William May, GARP Global Head of Certifications and Educational Programs.
“The program is supported by top-notch faculty with strong connections to the New York City financial community. The curriculum is interdisciplinary in its approach and is designed for direct application in the financial sector. Students matriculating in this program will be well positioned to pursue the FRM designation and to assume strategic roles within the global risk management industry.”
“Risk management is an evolving field where people have to constantly re-assess how changes in the financial markets impact the risks in their portfolios,” noted Firestone. “While practitioners rely on various quantitative tools to assess risks, nothing can replace sound judgement. That is one of the things that Drew University is hoping to pass on to our students as they prepare for careers in large financial institutions around the globe.”
Firestone noted that the partnership has implications beyond the enticing scholarships and learning opportunities.
“It is fantastic for students if they’re able to complete even part of GARP’s FRM program while they attend, because it allows them to stand out to potential employers and demonstrate their skills,” he said.
“GARP is a global organization, so it exposes our students to industry-leading content and networking opportunities they wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. It’s really a win-win for both the students and the university.”
