W&M receives gift to fund new finance center in Business School
The Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary announced a leadership commitment from alumni Todd ’96 and Katie ’95 Boehly in New York City Nov. 4. The gift funded the creation of the Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance which provides experiential learning opportunities for William & Mary students seeking careers in finance.
“I am a fourth generation William & Mary alumnus, so the College has an important connection for me and my family,” said Katie Boehly. “We are very excited to still be involved with the school and to offer a new program that we hope will continue for generations to come.”
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Todd Boehly, president of Guggenheim Partners, has been engaged with the Mason School for several years through the Howard J. Busbee Finance Academy. “When I arrived on campus in 1991, I thought I was going to be a doctor or philosopher—then I stumbled into finance,” Boehly said. “What finance has done for me has been nothing short of spectacular and I’d really love to share the opportunity, the education and knowledge base with current students.”
While just publicly announced, the gift has been at work since January when the Boehly Center’s first programs were offered. Programming now includes financial modeling, workshops and training, guest lectures by industry leaders, study abroad trips, chances for students to participate in finance competitions and conferences, networking events with alumni in the finance industry, and opportunities for students to work one-on-one with faculty through research and teaching assistantships.
“This is an inspirational gift, both because of the use to which it will be put and the relative youth of its benefactors,” said William & Mary President Taylor Reveley, “Katie and Todd’s generosity has created a center that will have a tremendous impact on the way our students learn about finance, and finance is one of the vital underpinnings of our economy and society.”
The Center sponsors courses that range from a one-credit hedge fund management weekend class, to a semester-long course featuring cases taught by alumni practitioners. It also provides extra-curricular opportunities to enhance student experiences helping them become more competitive in the finance field.
“The Boehly Center is at the cutting edge of where I think management education is headed, which is bringing companies, industry leaders, alumni and faculty together to think about what it really takes to make our students truly career ready and to connect them to world class opportunities,” said Mason School Dean Larry Pulley.
Before joining Guggenheim Partners in 2001, Todd Boehly worked at Whitney & Co. and Credit Suisse First Boston. He currently serves as a trustee or board member of several organizations, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the Brunswick School, and FACES.
