Basics of Financial Research using The Bloomberg Terminal

By Jahzanae Evans 

Attending this program with 8 fellow students shattered my understanding of the financial industry, revealing depth I never knew existed. I first heard about the course through my peer, Maria Campos, who shared the application link with me. Then, there was a group interview session, where I learned more about the program from Dr. Nunez-Torres, an Economics professor at Lehman. I remember back in the spring of 2024, I attended an event at the library, which served as a catalyst for my development in professional and academic settings. This was where I formally met Dr. Nunez-Torres and discovered the Bloomberg Terminal for the first time.

While I had my own personal doubts about my ability to succeed at something I was completely unaware of, from what I learned about Dr. Nunez-Torres, I knew that I would be in a safe environment to challenge myself. A few days after the interview, my application was accepted.  

The first three days were, frankly speaking, an overload of information, ranging from learning the basics of the Bloomberg Terminal to using those functions to find numbers and data to connect the dots about a company. A lot of the content was very unfamiliar to me, but there was no moment in time when I felt overwhelmed, in large part because of the support and guidance from my peers, who patiently helped me whenever I asked.

On June 12th, we met Connor Gustafson and Whitney Birtwell from the Wealth Strategy team at UBS and Lehman Alum Ira Cohen. We witnessed professionals in their field sell their stock to Mr. Cohen, who played the client in this hypothetical scenario. The stock in question was Amazon (AMZN), which we had spent the past few sessions familiarizing ourselves with by using the Bloomberg Terminal to identify critical factors and potential risks investors should be aware of.

After the presentation, we heard about Connor and Whitney’s respective career paths. We also got an insight into Mr. Cohen’s journey in his own business, highlighting how a research group is important to assess the risks of buying financial instruments. Before this program, I was unaware of the many different roles an individual could have, and the realization of how many paths someone’s story could take was a jolting one. The program itself had me questioning my own future, knowing that there was so much more to learn in the industry.

In the following sessions, our goal was to emulate Connor’s presentation using our own stock, Coca-Cola. Rather than being full of jacks of all trades and masters of none, we split up to research what we excelled in. By June 20th, we were as prepared as we were going to be. 

An interesting tidbit that increased the immersion was Mr. Cohen telling us that he works with UBS, who manages some of his accounts alongside some family members. He told us that Coca-Cola was already in his portfolio, but despite that, he said our presentation would have influenced him to buy the stock. 

This new program was made possible through a collaboration between several key figures and departments at Lehman. Dr. Nunez-Torres, who nurtured this vision for many years, had attempted to launch a similar program with the help of a former sponsor, but unfortunately, it did not come to fruition. However, his persistence in creating an experiential course remained strong, which led to the program being recognized in the form of a scholarship. It was designed not only to reward academic excellence but to address a critical issue for many students – the lack of time and resources to explore the wide variety of career opportunities available within the finance industry. Thus, BBA 206-Basics of Financial Research was created.

Dr. Nunez-Torres informed me that the program's success was far from a solo effort. The Dean of Lehman’s School of Business, Dene Hurley, made it possible for the program to run as smoothly as it did. Advisors from the School of Business, Deirdre Constant and Griselda Poe, worked tirelessly to inform students of the program through outreach. Additionally, the library staff played an essential role in having the Bloomberg Lab open for us. This collection of people created the foundation necessary for the program to thrive. 

As an alum of Lehman College, Mr. Cohen is deeply committed to giving back to the college. His desire to support future generations of students, especially those within the finance industry, made the program possible. Listening to him talk about his personal journey with his own company was inspirational, and the feedback he gave us after our presentation towards the conclusion of the program was invaluable.  

I interviewed some of my fellow classmates, and hearing some of their takeaways from the shared experience was enlightening. Each of these takeaways highlighted different aspects of our personal and professional growth.  

Wadah Rajeh's hands-on experience with researching and analyzing company data gave him crucial skills in navigating the Bloomberg Terminal, an essential tool in the finance industry. 

Jose Meza emphasized the broader scope of the finance world, stating that it extends far beyond textbook studies. He came to the realization that much of the success in finance comes from the relationships and the experiences built through daily work. In his words, “Finance is a vast world full of many surprises and connections.” 

Curtis Asante, another participant, echoed these sentiments, sharing how this experience gave him a glimpse into the work environment he wishes to enter after graduating. “This program impacted me a lot. I met people I never would have met in the first place. Gaining those connections helps us learn how to navigate the finance and business world a little better.”  

When I interviewed Dr. Nunez-Torres, I asked him how he believes the course will impact students as they go on through college and into their careers. He emphasized the importance of experiential learning and the confidence gained from providing a unique environment for students to test their abilities in a real-world setting.   

As student interviewees told us, this enhanced their understanding of financial research because the program was designed for them to see firsthand what it would be like to commit to researching a stock and presenting it to a real investor. This level of engagement is difficult to replicate in a traditional academic setting. 

BBA 206 was far more than a course—it was a transformative experience that opened doors and provided insights many of us did not know were possible at Lehman. This program is a testament to what can be achieved when passionate students, faculty, and alumni collaborate with a shared vision for student success.  

As a final word, the most important advice I can offer is to never underestimate the power of getting involved beyond the classroom. I cannot stress this enough: take full advantage of Lehman's resources and support because you never know which opportunity might shape your future.