SARASOTA, Fla. (March 31, 2017) – USF Sarasota-Manatee crowned its recent gift of 12 Bloomberg terminals Thursday by hosting a Financial Literacy Day that brought out more than a dozen renowned financial experts including William C. Dudley, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The gift of the terminals, courtesy of Sarasota-based financial firm Cumberland Advisors and David R. Kotok, Cumberland’s founder and Chief Investment Officer, represented the afternoon’s highlight, especially for students, alumni and, in particular, USFSM’s College of Business. “These terminals will expose our students to one of the best information systems in the world,” Dr. James Curran, dean of the college, said. “The Bloomberg network provides data and analysis in real time and is used by financial analysts and business decision makers around the globe.” The donation, amounting to about $60,000, was not intended for USFSM students only, although they will benefit tremendously from the terminals, but for all students attending the institutions within the C4 (Consortium of Colleges on the Creative Coast). That consortium includes, in addition to USFSM, New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art & Design, State College of Florida, FSU/The Ringling and Eckerd College. Many distinguished leaders from those campuses attended Thursday’s Financial Literacy Day, which was sponsored by Cumberland Advisors, as well as the ribbon-cutting on the campus’s second floor to officially open the David Kotok and Cumberland Advisors Bloomberg Lab. In addition to Dudley, speakers at the Literacy Day included Michael Chriszt, vice president and public affairs officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; David Berson, senior vice president and chief economist at Nationwide Mutual; Kathleen Hayes, worldwide Bloomberg TV and radio journalist; fellow Bloomberg journalist Michael McKee; Edward F. Keon, Jr., managing director and portfolio manager at Quantitative Management Associates; Kozo Koide, chief economist at DIAM Co., Ltd., Japan; and Michael Drury, chief economist at McVean Trading & Investments and chairman of the Global Interdependence Center. Dudley, the keynote speaker, talked about the importance of financial markets in influencing the economic outlook and U.S. monetary policy. In comments broadcast worldwide on Bloomberg, he sounded an optimistic tone about the U.S. economy. “The economy has continued to grow modestly above its sustainable long-term pace. This has led to continued, sturdy monthly job gains and a gradual diminution of the amount of slack in the U.S. labor market. Forward-looking indicators foreshadow a continuation of this trend. For example, household and business confidence has increased markedly over the past few months.” Other financial experts took turns throughout the day discussing issues from personal finances to trade issues with China to monetary policy to issues affecting women. Dr. Amy Santos, chairwoman of the Business and Technology Department at State College of Florida, said she most enjoyed hearing from the “women’s panel,” which delved into women’s workplace issues. “Everything they said was supported by facts and research,” she said. “One of the speakers talked about how for women who go on job interviews that it’s not enough to ask questions. It’s important to not let the interviewer fill in the gaps, but to speak up and talk about yourself and your skills.” The Financial Literacy Day ran from 8:30 a.m. to about 6 p.m. It was followed by the ribbon cutting for the Bloomberg lab. Dr. Curran said the importance of the terminals cannot be under-estimated. By becoming certified to operate the financial terminals, students seeking financial-sector jobs will receive instant attention from hiring managers. Speaking of Kotok, he added, “We would not have been able to bring this lab to the campus without his help and we are going to need partners moving forward to keep it going. “Having private partners who are interested in helping our students prepare for their careers give us the financial flexibility to enhance our programs in ways that are not otherwise possible,” Dean Curran said. USF Sarasota-Manatee carnival coming April 7 The second-annual USF Sarasota-Manatee Carnival is scheduled from 3 to 8 p.m. April 7 at the USFSM campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. This event, which comes at the end of USFSM Week, is free and open to the public. Other events that week include a balloon drop in the rotunda at noon Monday, a “Splash Bash” Wednesday and a craft festival Thursday. The carnival will be help in the USFSM south parking lot. Rides, games, balloon artists, caricatures and more will be offered. Free parking. Bring your family and friends to this spirited event. USFSM Week is a weeklong celebration of USF Sarasota-Manatee. Each campus within the USF System holds similar weeklong celebrations. Student research showcase to be held USF Sarasota-Manatee’s annual Student Showcase for Projects, Research & Innovation is scheduled for April 7 at USFSM’s Selby Auditorium. This year’s student presenters represent all four of USFSM’s colleges. Dr. Shyam Mohapatra, of the USF Institute of Advanced Discovery and Innovation, will provide the keynote address. Afterward, student awards will be presented. Come attend this important event to support USFSM students. This event is free and open to public. To attend, or to learn more, visit usfsm.edu/research/. ### |
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About USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) USF Sarasota-Manatee is a regional campus of the University of South Florida system, offering the prestige of a nationally ranked research university with the convenience of a hometown location, including classes in Manatee and Sarasota counties and online. Separately accredited, USFSM is ideal for those interested in pursuing a baccalaureate or master’s degree, professional certification, or continuing education credit in a small, personal setting with distinguished faculty and a dynamic curriculum of over 40 academic programs. Website: www.usfsm.edu. |