Five Questions With: Bing-Xuan Lin

Bing-Xuan Lin is a professor of finance at the University of Rhode Island. Currently he serves as the area coordinator for the finance and decision sciences area in the College of Business Administration. His research focuses on mergers and acquisitions, financial analysts’ forecasts, corporate governance and emerging capital markets.

PBN: This Friday is Career Day for the College of Business. What do you, as a faculty member, hope to contribute to the event?
LIN:
Career Day is an annual event during which the College of Business hosts over 80 alumni to share their experiences with current students. As a faculty member, it is imperative that we embrace the connection between academic theory and applied application. Career Day is filled with success stories and how our alumni both seasoned and young are adding value to the business community. It also enables me to personally re-connect with alumni and discuss the current issues they are facing, specifically in the finance industry.

PBN: Are you involved in any of the panel discussions? What are the attending students learning during the event that they would not be able to learn through their own research?
LIN:
I am moderating a panel on “The Global Perspective: Careers in Global and International Business.” Alumni from Estee Lauder, AstraZeneca and Hasbro Inc. will discuss the integration of the global economy on these companies. As the eighth annual Career Day, attendance has grown each year, reaching upwards of 1,000 students throughout the day. Sure, students can Google companies and find general information about them. At Career Day, they get to engage with alumni (former students who once walked the halls as [College of Business Administration students] and hear first-hand real stories with current messages. That’s a value-added experience.

PBN: One of your academic specialties is corporate finance. Is that career path attracting as many students as it once did? Why or why not?
LIN:
During the 2008 recession we saw a downturn in corporate finance jobs, but we have been gradually increasing over the past four years and graduated 56 finance majors in May. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, corporate finance opportunities are expected to grow 16 percent from 2012 to 2022. That’s a great ROI for a prospective student who on average is graduating with student loan debt.

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PBN: One aspect of the event will be an elevator pitch component. Are there students at URI building sustainable business plans? How entrepreneurial are students at the college?
LIN:
The College of Business Administration embraces the fact that we are a professional college preparing future business leaders. In our curriculum all students must take a course called BUS 390, the Junior Passport. This course subject is focused on the students and their preparation to succeed. Taught by URI alumni and corporate partners, students set goals and objectives, fine tune resumes, conduct mock and informational interviews, and develop an elevator pitch.
These preparations have enabled our student to compete in tough job markets and land internships. At the day of graduation in May, 49 percent of our CBA students accepted career-related job offers and 18 percent went on to graduate school. These are the foundation tools setting them up to be entrepreneurial.

PBN: Which aspect of the Career Day do you most look forward to every year? This year?
LIN:
Each year the keynote speakers have been dynamic. They usually have an out of the box concept to convey to students which inevitably motivates them. Engaging with alumni is a personal highlight. This year the second breakout session of Career Day is built around “Interesting Intersections,” where two business areas meet.

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