Steffanie Arelle, 29, originally from Montreal moved to Israel as a child with her family. She recently graduated with an MA in Financial Economics from Reichman University. “During my BA in Business and Accounting, I had the opportunity to take a course on Introduction to Finance with Prof. Yaniv Grinstein. The course was excellent, and with Prof. Grinstein's encouragement I decided to pursue an MA degree in Financial Economics." After finishing her BA Summa-come laude and on the Dean's list, she enrolled in the MA program.
The MA in Financial Economics is designed for candidates from Israel and abroad who have strong analytical and quantitative skills and who are interested in becoming top financial economists. Suitable candidates include graduates from economics and business programs, as well as engineers, computer science majors, and graduates of exact science disciplines who have strong quantitative skills.
Prof. Grinstein is a co-head of the Program along with Prof. Zvi Eckstein, Dean of the School of Economics and Dr. Yael Eisenthal. According to Prof. Grinstein “The program’s curriculum is innovative and current, and we constantly adapt the program to the changing needs of the market. The finance profession is going through large technological changes and we responded by adding courses and workshops in fintech, machine learning, and blockchain. Our aim is to prepare the students in the best way for the job market.”
For Steffanie the MA in Financial Economics provided a great opportunity for networking as well as bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical experience. "I acquired the tools necessary for us to face the challenges of a rapidly changing business environment. Along with elective courses, the program offered other resources and tools to help deepen my understanding.” The campus became her second home, while participating in other involvements such as the Pro Women club, Business Makeover club, Capital Markets club, and more. “I would study in the library until I was kicked out” Steffanie remembers warmly.
In addition to knowledge of finance, it was through Steffanie’s MA degree that she eventually met her husband, Dor Pinhas, while undertaking the mathematics preparatory courses. Both Dor and Steffanie were study partners at first. In January 2020, on completing her MA, she started work at Barclays Investment Banking as an analyst and was sent to London on a training course, unexpectedly the coronavirus pandemic began and Steffanie was sent back to Israel. At the end of her 14-day quarantine, Dor surprised her at her door with a ring and a proposal for marriage. Both currently work in the financial sector, Steffanie as an analyst at Barclays Investment Banking and Dor as a broker at Leader Capital Markets. They plan on living and working in Tel Aviv.
“Thanks to the MA program in Financial Economics, I received the tools for launching my career in finance as well as met my life partner”
For more information: Reichman University
This article was written in cooperation with Reichman University