Fall 2025

Courses

This fall’s 19 finance courses in Duke Economics (listed below) enrolled 873 undergraduates, an increase of 50 students over last year with the same number of course offerings.

John Caccavale and Emma Rasiel's sophomore course Practical Financial Markets continues to have one of the highest enrollments in Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. 371 students were enrolled this semester—21% of the Class of 2028.

ECON 174 Financial Accounting (C.J. Skender)
ECON 254 Personal Finance (Emma Rasiel)
ECON 255S Shakespeare & Financial Markets (John Forlines III)
ECON 490 Beyond Money and Markets (Rachel Kranton)
ECON 578 ESG Investing (Chris Wedding)
ECON 673 Mathematical Finance (Xavier Mela)
FECON 370 Global Capital Markets (John Caccavale)
FECON 372 Asset Pricing & Risk Management (Lawrence Kreicher)
FECON 373 Corporate Finance (Connel Fullenkamp)
FECON 390S US Economy in Action (Mike Aguilar)
FECON 390S Intro to Global Carbon Trading (Daniel Egger)
FECON 390S Global Financial Crisis (Ellen Meade)
FECON 471 Financial Markets and Investments (Tim Bollerslev)
FECON 472S Goodner Equity Research (Emma Rasiel)
FECON 490S Business Economics (Mike Aguilar)
FMKT 256 Practical Financial Markets (John Caccavale & Emma Rasiel)
FMKT 381S Inside Hedge Funds (Linsey Hughes)
FMKT 390S Financial Regulatory Policy (Lee Reiners)
FMKT 390S Real Estate Investing (Steve Columbaro)*

*Funding provided by the Rubenstein Foundation Commercial Real Estate Gift

A panel of five speakers sits at the front of a tiered classroom, facing an audience

DFE Steering Committee

DFE's Steering Committee (DFESC) convened on campus in September for its annual fall meeting, bringing together alumni leaders from across the finance industry. The committee plays a vital role in guiding DFE's long-term vision by providing counsel on strategic initiatives, expanding connections with industry professionals, and helping to sustain the future of the center by ensuring fundraising goals are met.

In the meeting, members heard the latest programmatic updates from DFE leadership and Econ Department Chair Jimmy Roberts. Mary Pat McMahon, vice provost/vice president of student affairs, spoke on efforts to strengthen community and belonging at Duke. A panel of DFESC members shared recommendations for how DFE could expand into the area of healthcare finance, and members of DFE's Student Advisory Committee talked about mentoring experiences that were crucial to their paths into finance. DFESC Chair Warren Rabin M.B.A. '01 facilitated thoughtful discussion throughout the day-long meeting.

About fifteen students sit conference-style in a classroom, eating lunch from boxed meals while listening to an older adult speaking

Events and Activities

Honing their analytical skills and gaining real-world experience, 400+ sophomores competed in DFE’s annual educational competitions: the BlackRock Asset Allocation Competition, the DFE Corporate Valuation Competition, and the Goldman Sachs Trade Pitch Competition. In each, the top 10 teams presented to a panel of finance professionals who offered feedback and encouragement.

The Sophomore Mentor Program brought 124 sophomores together with 108 alumni for informal conversations that helped students prepare for the internship recruiting process. Sophomores also benefited from the DFE Mentoring Pods Program, with 108 juniors and seniors providing guidance and mock interviews. Both initiatives are part of the Eichel Finance Advising Network.

Through DFE’s continuing partnership with training firm AmplifyME, students participated in live, virtual simulations that allowed them to explore banking, markets, and quantitative finance roles. Duke students completed 128 simulations, with portfolio management, sales & trading, and valuation modeling among the most popular areas.

Alumni and friends hosted eight Lunch & Learn sessions and alumni talks this fall, sharing insights on navigating careers in investment banking, private equity, and hedge funds.

Students from across class years joined the Markets Discussion Group, led by Fuqua professor Mike Aguilar, to cover timely topics such as Goldman Sachs’ S&P 500 forecasts, the AI bubble debate, and the impacts of the government shutdown.

Lecturing Fellow Lee Reiners and Instructor Steve Columbaro held the Finance Book Club, where students discussed How Not to Invest by Barry Ritholtz.

Over fall break, the sophomore Dzialga Women in Finance Fellows spent two days in Manhattan visiting nine finance firms and networking with alumni.

In total, 647 undergrads participated in DFE's extracurriculars, and 203 alumni, parents, and friends engaged in DFE courses and programs.

Exterior of Rubenstein Library on a clear day with fall foliage and people walking and cycling past the building