MBA student Farida Husain will be able to add another skill to her growing resume, as the first SUNY Oswego student to earn Bloomberg Certification.

“I’m honored by the fact that everyone acknowledges my effort towards earning the certification,” Husain said. “Knowing what it adds to my profile feels great and I’m very happy.”

Those who have earned Bloomberg Certification have the understanding and ability to use the Bloomberg terminal, which is the most widely used information system in the global financial community.

“Students want to earn their Bloomberg Certification in order to demonstrate to potential employers that they are committed to a serious career path, already attaining a relevant skill that can transform their aspirations into reality,” said Mary Rodgers, the college's Marcia Belmar Willock Professor of Finance.

Husain was able to complete the certification process thanks to the new Bloomberg terminal purchased by the School of Business.

“The vision of the School of Business is to become a premier business school. … One way in which we achieve our vision is by providing opportunities for professional development to our students,” Rodgers said. “By offering our students the chance to become certified, we help achieve our vision.”

Rodgers, who has an extensive history in finance that includes 30 years at Merrill Lynch, was a strong advocate for the terminal’s integration on campus. She encouraged Husain to begin the certification process, working as Husain’s advisor for an independent study that revolved around the Bloomberg terminal.

“We have great faculty and a lot of diversification when it comes to management or finance or marketing. They are dedicated to helping you in every way to see you achieve whatever you want to in the years ahead.”

Uniquely integrated

“Farida is an intellectually curious student, eager to learn and committed to excellence,” Rodgers said. “My experience is that a successful independent study is one in which the professor and the student learn together, and we have certainly achieved that.”

Husain came to SUNY Oswego’s MBA program from India, where she worked for Citibank for five years. Her background in banking, interest in finance and experience working with clients from the United States inspired her to look into MBA programs in the U.S.

“I was looking for something flexible and affordable,” Husain said.  “Something that wasn’t very high-end when it came to costs, but also high quality.”

Husain’s academic counselor in India steered her towards SUNY Oswego, a school that met her interests and future plans. She was quickly contacted by the MBA director at the time, Tammie Sullivan.

“Every question I had was answered,” she said. “There was a lot of flexibility with course structure, it wasn’t huge and I immediately liked it.”

Husain was accepted into the program and began two months after leaving Citibank. She considers her experience in the MBA program as “uniquely integrated,” as her experience at Citibank has helped shape her education.

“When I take classes, I have a different perspective since I have worked and have applied the concepts we’re learning,” she said. “But there are also new experiences, like the Bloomberg terminal. It worked perfectly for me.”

Throughout her time in the program, Husain has found SUNY Oswego to be dedicated to helping her get the most out of her education.

School of Business

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen the college make commitments towards students of all different majors,” Husain said. “The business school is committed to providing the research and other opportunities for students in the careers and industries they want to work in.”

Farida found herself working directly with the School of Business faculty, all of whom are respected business professionals.

“We have great faculty and a lot of diversification when it comes to management or finance or marketing,” Husain said. “They are dedicated to helping you in every way to see you achieve whatever you want to in the years ahead.”

Husain encourages prospective MBA students to reach out to current students in the business programs to get a real understanding of the program.

“Spend some time talking to current students, that’s how you get the perspective whether or not that program is going to benefit you in your career,” Husain said. “The school has every opportunity to offer and people here are always willing to help. The question is, are you willing to ask?”