Project Center

pexels-photo-159888“The Wall Street/FinTech Project Center is a great stepping stone for motivated students who are looking to make the transition to a career in the financial services industry.

It provides both the student and sponsor with an opportunity to accomplish a real world project while being a part of a unique college experience.”

| Jason Tondreau | Millennium Management | WPI FinTech Collaborative Executive Advisory Board Member |

 

Seaport_Locations_page-4764ed6bad40406fa55957caf868723f

WPI – Boston Seaport at 303 Congress Street in Boston, MA.

UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR QUALIFYING PROJECTS

The WPI Wall Street/FinTech Project Center is devoted to solving real-world operational challenges for major financial services firms and FinTech innovators related to the intersection of technology and finance.

Each year in the WPI academic B-Term between October and December, WPI undergraduate student teams complete Major Qualifying Projects (MQPs) with investment banking and other financial services firms.

As a result of these 9-credit, full-time, senior-year, capstone projects, students gain practical, business-driven design or research experience within their major area of study related to finance, management, technology, or mathematics.

Although students work full-time onsite at sponsor firm locations in New York, Boston, and elsewhere, this is not an internship program. Instead, the Wall Street Project – FinTech Center offers students and firms a supervised academic and business project consulting experience.

Students are selected for the undergraduate MQPs by the Project Center faculty through a competitive application process in the year preceding the MQP. The process takes into account students’ past project and work experience, academic success, in-person interviews, and a written application.

Seaport Team

FinTech student team members and faculty joined a project sponsor when they participated in the 2018 grand opening of WPI – Boston Seaport facility. From left to right are: Marcel Blais (Assoc. Teaching Prof. – Mathematical Sciences), Khasan Dymov (MS – Financial Math), Alexander Shoop (MS – Financial Math), Kevin Sweeney (Prof. of Practice – Finance), Rekik Tafesse (BS – ECE), Ian Sheridan (Managing Dir. – Vestigo Ventures), and Andrew Aberdale (BS – MIS & MGE).

GRADUATE PROJECTS

In partnership with the WPI FinTech Collaborative and the Center for Industrial Mathematics & Statistics, the Wall Street/FinTech Project Center also leverages the expertise of WPI graduate students in business, financial mathematics, data science, technology, and other relevant disciplines.

These graduate students often work with the undergraduate MQP students on a common set of initiatives.

They play mentoring roles for the undergraduate team members, and they participate in strategic planning and implementation of key elements of the projects.

They produce separate, complementary graduate-level assignments in connection with their contributions to projects.

Graduate student projects can also be undertaken independently from the undergraduate MQPs on a standalone basis throughout the year.

pexels-photo-1011329FACULTY ADVISORS

As part of the WPI project-based learning model, students receive substantial guidance and support from Faculty Advisors in their major areas of study.

The undergraduate and graduate students complete a substantial project deliverable related to technology, data, and finance for the sponsoring industry partner, while they also complete an extensive academic analysis and paper with the input and oversight of Faculty Advisors from their major programs.

One of the strengths of the WPI Wall Street/FinTech Project Center is the intensive preparation students undertake in collaboration with their industry sponsors and their Faculty Advisors before they arrive at their sponsor firms. This allows student teams to complete complex projects that generate real, value-driven results in full-time assignments during a 7 to 8 week academic term for undergraduate MQPs and in part-time assignments during 14-week semesters for graduate student projects.

Learn more about the faculty.

Presentationis

A student project team makes a presentation during the March 2017 Forum.

STUDENT PROJECT TEAMS

Project teams are interdisciplinary and may be comprised of students from any of the following Departments/Majors and more:

  • The Business School
  • Computer Science
  • Mathematical Science
  • Actuarial Science
  • Data Science
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • And More

“Fintech is FinLife” and the main goal of Fintech is to make “Finance Frictionless” in all industries. All WPI Majors are eligible and welcomed to apply for a Fintech Project. 

Here some quotes from students and additional information on the Project Center. Wall Street FinTech Project Center Flier 2024

To view Submitted Papers and read about Fintech Project delivered in recent years please click HERE.

Here is an overview video for students and potential sponsors. In this video you will hear:

  • About the structure and approach of the Fintech Project Center.
  • From a few students on their perspectives of their experience in the Fintech Project Center.

WPI FINTECH PROJECT CENTER CONTACTS

Rob Sarnie | Professor of Practice of Finance/FinTech/MIS (The Business School) 

Marcel Blais | Professor of Teaching (Mathematical Sciences/Data Science)

Wilson Wong | Associate Teaching Professor (Computer Science)