Students Travel to D.C. and New York City to Explore Financial Markets and Policy on Inaugural Psaros Center FinPolicy Trek

Undergraduate students recently traveled to meet with legislators, policymakers, regulators, and market participants in Washington, D.C., and New York City to learn about current issues at the intersection of finance and public policy. 

The FinPolicy Trek is a first-of-its-kind opportunity offered by the Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy, which brought together 11 students ranging from the McDonough School of Business, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, and the College of Arts and Sciences to gain exposure to some of the world’s most influential financial leaders. 

“The FinPolicy Trek is a first-of-its-kind opportunity for students to engage directly with leaders at the highest levels to learn about the policies and decisions that are influencing business on a global scale,” said David Vandivier, executive director of the Psaros Center. “Only at Georgetown, with our location in Washington, D.C., and expansive connections across the financial services industry, can students experience the policy, the regulatory, and the corporate side of finance in such a meaningful way.”

While in Washington, D.C., students had the opportunity to meet with the chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and one of the commissioners of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the heads of divisions at enforcement and crypto. They also met with several senior policy officials at the Treasury Department and Commerce Department and three Members of Congress.

Pavlos Tentomas (B’26), a rising Sophomore studying at the McDonough School of Business, described the FinPolicy Trek as a unique experience that enriched his career vision.

 “A truly magnificent experience where driven students, dedicated instructors, and gracious alumni come together to show you what Georgetown is really all about,” said Pavlos. “The Psaros Center’s FinPolicy Trek is a valuable treasure I will carry with me in my educational and professional careers and beyond.”

Then, the students traveled to Wall Street and engaged in conversations with market participants, including several Georgetown alums, to learn more about real-world issues facing the industry and to discuss potential career opportunities in the financial sector. Over two days, students toured offices in New York City. They met with a managing director at Morgan Stanley, the president and chief investment officer and managing director at Neuberger Berman, the CEO at Nuveen Churchill Asset Management, the CEO of asset and wealth management at JPMorgan, and four managing directors and a member of the Management Committee at Goldman Sachs.

Throughout the FinPolicy Trek, students covered a variety of finance topics, including the debt limit, inflation, recent bank failures, the Financial Stability Oversight Council, the CHIPS legislation and its implementation, international trade, commodities, digital assets, enforcement of digital assets, market research, private credit, ESG, AI, and the asset management industry.

“The FinPolicy Trek is a great example of the incredible, unique experiences that only Georgetown can provide,” said Nadia Nasim (SFS’24), a rising Senior in the Walsh School of Foreign Service. “Sitting on the nexus between Capitol Hill and Wall Street, the Psaros Center is deeply committed to providing a well-rounded experience for its Trek participants.”