As a member of the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics’ Class of 2021, Samantha Finfer, a finance major with a minor in trust management from Wilmington, Delaware, has not had the typical final year or commencement at UD due to the coronavirus pandemic. She, and her entire class, have shown incredible resilience, maturity and spirit while adjusting to the many unexpected changes that they have encountered.
Finfer was nominated for this series by UD Associate Professor of finance Jack Bao, who said, “I had some excellent students in my fixed income class this year but Samantha still managed to stand out. She had this persistence in always wanting to understand everything in the class. Even if she was 99% of the way there, she would come to office hours and try to really understand that last 1%. With her talent and work ethic, I think she will do great things in the future.”
In this profile, Finfer shared her favorite UD memories, how she has changed during her time at UD and her plans following graduation.
Lerner: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Finfer: I have changed tremendously from my first semester at UD. I came into Lerner College not knowing what I wanted to do post-grad, but through the advisors and mentors I’ve had I was able to pick a focus and now have a full-time job lined up in my field of interest. Also during my first semester at UD, I didn’t perform as well as I hoped to grade-wise, college was an adjustment. Since that very first round of final grades, I have strived to be my best self and was able to raise my GPA every single semester after that.
Lerner: What is your favorite place at UD?
Finfer: My favorite place at UD would be the library or the basketball stadium. I would spend hours, even full days, in the library preparing for exams. It was so nice having that spot to remove myself from the outside world and only focus on school. I was an avid men’s basketball fan and spent a lot of my winter sessions at basketball games. I have such fond memories in both places!
Lerner: What is the most memorable course that you took at Lerner?
Finfer: My most memorable course was Fixed Income (FINC462) with Professor Jack Bao. I took this class during Fall 2020 COVID-19 semester, and Professor Bao made the course very user-friendly. He taught the material in a way that I could understand and provided us with many resources. He was always available outside of class time for questions. It was very clear that he wanted his students to succeed and I felt that!
Lerner: What was your favorite signature UD experience?
Finfer: My favorite signature UD experience was finding the solar system around campus. I’m still working on it, I only have Neptune to go! I also enjoyed attending the basketball games. I was a finalist for the sign-making contest during the 2019-2020 season.
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Finfer: Being a “Lifelong Lerner” means that I will never forget where I came from. I will always remember the person I was before and admire the growth that I see as I graduate and move to my career. Lerner will hold a special place in my heart, and I can’t wait to give back to the Lerner College. I’m thankful for the experiences it has provided me and I want future students to have the same opportunities I did.
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Finfer: I have a full-time job lined up as a Trust Administrator for an individual trustee that is affiliated with an accounting firm.