Investment club prepares to visit New York Stock Exchange

Thomas Marra
Staff Writer

Members of Hudson Valley’s investment club will have the privilege of visiting the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 27.
Over 60 members of the club will have the opportunity to get a private tour of the floor, led by Peter Costa, one of the NYSE governors.

The trip to the NYSE is a rare experience, according to club advisor Joseph Stenard. “Very few community college students have been allowed in since 9/11,” said Stenard. “To have our students to be able to go into the Stock Exchange itself where the center of the world’s finances passing through there, it’s really quite an opportunity.”

This is only one of the many benefits of partaking in the investment club.

“The investment club is a rare opportunity for students to not only learn about the field of finance and investing, but a way to practice it,” said club president Kyle Hudson.
It allows student to get involved and develop professional and life skills on campus and is a great experience for anyone studying or interested in business.

Investment club is also host to a variety of guest speakers who provide valuable advice to club members. They regularly bring in guest speakers and professionals.“[They] talk about their background, how they got to where they are and the advice they best have for the young members of the club aspiring to get into this field of work or for their own personal gain,” said Hudson.

“My favorite part about [investment club] is talking about how real political and nonpolitical issues drive the stock market up or down,” said club asset manager and treasurer Ezra Anderson. “I like keeping up with the times and analyzing what will drive the markets up or down.”

Hudson Valley boasts a wide selection of clubs that help teach students valuable skills and provide them with opportunities. It’s also a great way to meet other students who share a common interest.

The club is 100 percent student-run. The agenda usually features a guest speaker who guides members into engaging conversations. These conversations often continue outside of the club through their Twitter page.

The club also features exciting initiatives to involve students in a more tangible way.

“We have a stock market challenge that’s coming up, so anyone that wants to participate in that can play the real stock market with fake money and make the decisions on what to buy and what to sell against some of their friends and other members of the club,” said Stenard.

Stenard is a big proponent for club participation and feels that they teach students interactive skills.

He also reminisced about some of his fond memories from investment club, especially the lasting friendships that were forged. “We’ve had some marriages come out of the investment club, so it’s a great place,” Stenard said. “You might end up making some long-term investments.”

By joining investment club, students can learn financial literacy as well as how to analyze financials. Anderson said the club is for “anyone interested in business, investing, money and retirement.” He strongly encourages anyone interested to join.

For more information on the investment club, you can attend a club meeting on Wednesdays at 3:00p.m. in BRN 204 or you can contact advisor Joseph Stenard at j.stenard@hvcc.edu.