Testimonies

Michael Bogecho - Sales and Trading, Deutsche Bank
"MSCF Degree Opens Doors"

The fast pace of the trading floor isn't for everyone. But the high-energy environment was exactly what Michael Bogecho was searching for when he accepted a position with Deutsche Bank in New York City. Michael Bogecho, who earned his master's of science in computational finance in December 2004, said that his education at Carnegie Mellon "opened more doors than I thought possible."

With a background in computer science, Bogecho consulted for a firm in New York before working for Sports Illustrated as a programmer. "After about three years at the magazine, I felt that I had reached a point where I was no longer learning any new concepts. I wasn't feeling challenged," explained Bogecho. "I decided to return to school for a graduate degree that would enable me to leverage my programming experience in a finance role."

When searching for the right program, Bogecho looked for a rigorous curriculum that would prepare him for this new career path. He also wanted a program in New York. Carnegie Mellon's computational finance program offered in New York's financial district was the perfect fit. Bogecho noted that another draw for the Carnegie Mellon program is the proactive and helpful service provided by the Tepper School's Career Opportunities Center. Building upon an extensive alumni and recruiter network, the COC is a tremendous resource for internships and post-graduation job placements. Bogecho also said that Steven Shreve, professor of mathematical sciences at the Mellon College of Science, spends a considerable amount of time visiting banks and promoting the program.

Another aspect of the program that Bogecho appreciated is the synergy of the curriculum. "The Carnegie Mellon program was very well integrated. I found I was constantly referencing information from one class in another. We were given a very good base that we kept building on, even after graduation."

Before he entered the program, Bogecho planned on becoming a quantitative programmer. After he interned with Blackrock's financial and modeling group, however, his plans changed. "I enjoyed spending time on the trading floor more than being in the research department. The floor was a better fit for me," he said. When Bogecho completed the program, he entertained several job offers before deciding on Deutsche Bank and its sales and trading program. Until the training program begins this July, Bogecho is working on the alternative credit sales desk where he provides clients with research and focuses on other quantitative projects. "Although the current sales group I'm in is definitely one of the more quantitative groups in the credit space, I have learned a great deal about the credit market itself," he said. For the upcoming training program, Bogecho will rotate within the bank and then be assigned to a desk by early 2006.

Bogecho strongly encourages current MSCF students to talk to alumni in their fields of interest. "Alumni were once in the same position you are. We know how important it is to network and to pass on our experiences. We are here to help." (05/20/05)

Roger Jiang - Research Analyst, Traxis Partners
"MSCF Made the Difference"

"I graduated from State University of New York at Stony Brook with a MS in Computer Science and joined JP Morgan as an Application Delivery Analyst in 2000. For the next two years, I developed software applications for JP Morgan Private Bank. I learned that in the fixed income and derivatives fields, people rely heavily on financial models to conduct business. As these financial models are built as computer programs, my programming experience was a tremendous asset. However, to move to the front office, I also discovered I needed a deeper understanding of quantitative finance.

I started my part-time MSCF program at CMU in 2002. Halfway through the program, I felt that I knew enough to start looking for a position in the finance field. It so happened that the Strategic Investment Advisory Group (SIAG) at JP Morgan Fleming Asset Management was looking for a person to develop and maintain their financial models. I applied and they extended me an offer. In my new job, my time was divided equally between developing and maintaining the financial models and meeting with institutional clients advising on strategic asset allocation issues. In 2005, I joined Traxis Partners, a global macro hedge fund, as a research analyst.

I believe that both my programming background and my courses at CMU were critical in helping me land my job at SIAG. They wanted somebody who was well versed in both quantitative finance and programming and my skill set was a perfect fit. MSCF made the difference for me." (07/11/06)


Eric Liverance - Managing Director, UBS
"MCSF Most Well Rounded"

When alumnus Eric Liverance (MSCF '99) chose to enter the Master of Science in Computational Finance program at Carnegie Mellon, he wanted the best. Today, eight years after completing his degree, he has no regrets. "The MSCF Program was then, and still is, the most well rounded of any computational finance program out there."

Upon graduation, Eric joined the Clinton Group, a mortgage and fixed income hedge fund. "I worked there for four years, initially doing software development, term structure modeling and fixed income derivatives modeling. In my last two years, I did quantitative model-based trading of interest rate derivatives."  He left Clinton in 2003 to become Executive Director in Quantitative Strategy and Interest Rate Strategy at Morgan Stanley. He recently joined the Fixed Income Group at UBS."The MSCF program provided both a roadmap and a foundation to survive and prosper in the world of quantitative finance. I was introduced to the main avenues of theory and practice and given a vision of the road ahead."