Eagles On Wall Street

“… I had embarked on an experience of a lifetime!” – Kenneth Bailey

Eagles on Wall Street (EoWS) is an experiential learning course for Georgia Southern students. It is structured similarly to study abroad programs, but is domestically based with the travel component set in New York City.

During the travel portion of the course, students visit well-known organizations and firms of the US and global financial systems. Students have the opportunity to interact and network with associates, analysts, managers, and executives of some of the most prestigious firms in the financial system, learning about different divisions of the companies, the careers of the hosts and speakers, internship and job prospects, and gain career advice from those who have succeeded in NYC.

Students acquire first-hand knowledge of what it is like working and living in The Big Apple as they “commute” to different firms during rush hour, just like NYC locals. This type of experience cannot be taught from others or learned from textbooks—it’s a fantastic opportunity for students to try out the NYC lifestyle.

Past firm and organization visits have included AIG, Blackstone, Bloomberg; the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; First Principles Capital Management, LLC; Fox Business Network; Goldman Sachs; JP Morgan & Chase Co.; the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX); the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), RBC Capital Markets; Swiss Re; TIAA (TIAA-CREF); UBS; Willis Towers Watson (Willis); and Zurich.

It’s not all work and no play; students have time to explore the city during their free time as well as socialize and network with one another during scheduled group activities. EoWS is a 3-credit hour course and is open to students who have taken FINC 3131 (Principles of Corporate Finance). Usually, the course is held annually in the spring with the required travel occurring the week following Spring Commencement.

A deposit on the total program cost is required to enroll in the course with the remainder payable in installments. The fee covers a shared hotel room, some meals, EoWS t-shirt, and entry fees for any required activities. All other costs including air/ground transportation, additional meals, and optional activities are at the student’s expense as is any required tuition.

Want to learn more? Contact Allissa Lee, Ph.D., at alee@georgiasouthern.edu or Axel Grossmann, Ph.D., at agrossmann@georgiasouthern.edu or stop by the Department of Finance office (Parker College of Business, Room 3310).

EoWS Highlights

“It didn’t take long once we were there [NYC] for me to realize that I had embarked on an experience of a lifetime! The trip was a lot more fun than I anticipated and, honestly, I learned a lot more than I thought I would while in New York. Even though I graduated just a few days before landing at JFK, I had no idea I was about to begin a week long educational experience that would make me want to come back home and tell everyone about our trip.”
– Kenneth Bailey

“The six days I spent in Manhattan with the Eagles on Wall Street were some of the most exciting, informative, and inspiring days of my life. Every visit we took yielded either great educational value or made for a great experience, and often times both.”
– Hayden Boudreaux

“Eagles on Wall Street was absolutely one of the greatest experiences of my life. I met incredible people, from my fellow classmates to the finance professionals that run New York City and the finances of the entire world. It was a truly inspiring experience. One beneficial aspect I got was the separation of college and work that we were in a sense able to bridge by talking to all these firms and hearing about their experiences. …in order to separate yourself from others you have to work as hard as you possibly can. I feel motivated to work even harder. …one of the best experiences of my entire college career. It is experiences like Eagles on Wall Street that make me proud to go to Georgia Southern and cherish the education and the people I have met at school.”
– Ben Brannen

“I was very lost going into the trip as to what avenue of finance that I wanted to go into. This trip help me see what types of firms are out there, and the type of firm I am most interested in working at once I graduate. It also showed me many areas that I did not see myself going into later in life. I was surprised by how the trip changed my mind about sales…mainly influenced by Willis Towers Watson employee, Jack Jennings.”
– Jerrid Brewer

“The course provided great insight into big corporations that play key roles in the financial markets. [We] got to meet some top executives and ask questions about how the skills learned in the classroom translate into the business world.”
– Pietro Caneo

“I thought the trip was probably the best thing that I have done while at Georgia Southern, I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about taking the class in the future and I developed memories that will last a lifetime.”
– Sean Farrell

“[Eagles on Wall Street] provided a very educational look into the field of finance, as well as giving us the opportunity to network and sit among prestigious business moguls is something the classroom could never offer us. This hands-on experience only furthered my interest in my major and has already opened opportunities to connecting with these business partners and furthering my knowledge on these subjects.”
– Andrew Frank

“When I signed up for Eagles on Wall Street …I didn’t realize at the time that [it] would become one of the most rewarding and informational trips I had ever been on. This class was unlike any experience that I could’ve had on my own and I would do it over and over again a million times.”
– Sydney Hickman

“I viewed the class as a hands-on learning experience; the credit hours were just a bonus. I formed new friendships and learned how teams communicate in the business world. We had the opportunity to learn from many experienced professionals in many different lines of work.”
– Brian Jenkins

“I hope to see the Eagles on Wall Street course continue in the future with an increased alumni presence from previous Eagles trips, because seeing the alumni helps you feel like there is a chance to make it somewhere as prestigious as Wall Street.”
– Hunter King

“Overall… the experiences that I gained through this program [Eagles on Wall Street] are something that truly shaped my view of working in finance.”
– Tara Landry

“I truly believe that this class will persuade future students to chase their goals and dreams, whether it’s working in New York or moving to San Francisco. Just showing people our age that it’s possible to get up and move to a place that you will make it if you are determined is priceless. It has really boosted my confidence, more specifically in the business world. [It] has shown me the power of developing a network. [Some of us] realized that any goals we pursue are in the realm of possibility.”
– Justin McLain

“Eagles on Wall Street benefitted me greatly because it gave me a chance to connect with not only my classmates, but with many different people and firms. It gave me insight on many different positions across many different types of companies in which I can pursue with my degree. Eagles on Wall Street helped me use that insight in order to narrow my focus to what I’m interested in doing which I might not would have figured out until a while later. The experience gave me a chance to actually hear from people in each position on their experiences first hand of how they were able to end up in the positions they did, whether it be through internships, gaining experience and moving laterally, networking, or other ways. Graduating college can be intimidating if you don’t know what direction to go in or how to get there if you do; this course and the way it was designed was able to help me narrow my focus as well as give me real world experience and advice on how to get there. I learned so much from the Eagles on Wall Street that could not have been replicated in a classroom.”
– Taylor Moody

“Spending a week on Wall Street was definitely one of the most insightful experiences I’ve ever had in my lifetime, offering me life changing career advice and top-tier wisdom from some of the most successful in Manhattan. The trip inspired me to start taking advantage of the resources I’ve been offered…anything to separate yourself from the pile of applicants searching for a job.”
– Kyle Moore

“Before …I did not have an idea of what exactly I wanted to do after receiving my degree, this trip alone allowed me to broaden my horizons about the different industries offered in financial services.”
– Evan Morgan

“Although going to all of these firms was a once in a lifetime experience, I feel like the best part of the trip was getting to know both the teachers and fellow students better. My favorite “extra curricular activity” was taking the boat ride [Harbor Cruise] around the Statue of Liberty. That was such a blast and I really enjoyed getting to know both students and teachers better outside of the classroom. I look forward to seeing EOWS become a yearly study trip at Georgia Southern, and can’t wait to see the future of the College of Business.”
– Joshua O’Quinn

“This trip as a whole was one of the best experiences that I have had in my college career. I learned a lot about myself in this short week and it even helped me come to a conclusion about what I want to do after undergrad. The connections that we were able to make were so valuable to our futures. Aside from all of the firm visits, this trip provided us with a taste of a different culture as well. It was a great learning experience to be able to visit NYC and be submerged into a melting pot of so many different cultures and different types of individuals. The nights spent out in the city were some of the best nights of my life. I definitely made some friends and memories that I will never forget.”
– Sarabeth Porter

“I thoroughly enjoyed this past week and learned a lot from the firms that we visited…[it] was an experience that I’ll never forget and will reminisce on for years to come. I could not be more proud to attend Georgia Southern and be able to be a part of such a fine program.”
– Andrew Rains

“If you want more out of your degree, then this trip is for you. The classroom could not replicate the type of experience that Eagles of Wall Street provided me. Eagles on Wall Street was a once in a lifetime experience. I still cannot believe the rare opportunities that took place. From seeing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange to getting to hang with Wall Street GS alumni, Eagles on Wall Street was full of excitement that will stay with me for life.”
– Sam Russell

“Taking this class was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It was such a great experience to learn what some of the top financial firms in the world are like from a first-person point of view.”
– Tyler Sills

“This was definitely the best week in my college career. …it was [a] very educational and helpful experience as we prepare for the real world.”
– Jackson Taylor

“Eagles on Wall Street has already benefitted me in the real world. I recently accepted a position as a Financial Advisor in Metro Atlanta and it apparently added well to my resume, as the people who interviewed me were very interested to know more about it and what I had done. I greatly enjoyed this trip and have learned more than I ever expected. Thank you for the opportunity, and maybe one day I’ll find myself back on Wall Street.”
– John Wells

The 2017 EoWS Class visited NYC from Monday, May 8 through Saturday, May 13.  Visits included UBS, Willis Towers Watson, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, NYSE, Bloomberg, Blackstone, Zurich, and JP Morgan and Chase Co.  It was a great week of learning, networking, socializing, enjoying new experiences, and having fun.

EoWS 2017 Photos

The 2016 Eagles on Wall Street participants visited NYC from Monday, May 9 through Saturday, May 14.  Visits included UBS, Willis Towers Watson, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, RBC Capital Markets, NYMEX, AIG, TIAA, Bloomberg, Blackstone, and JP Morgan and Chase Co.

EoWS 2016 Photos