Yingying Shao

Assistant Professor, Department of Finance

Yingying Shao

Students��� concerns are a top priority for finance professor Yingying Shao. After all, it wasn���t so long ago that she completed her Ph.D. (2010), following nearly nine years as a Bank of China employee.

���I often think about what I went through and felt during my student life,��� says Shao, who also has an M.B.A. under her belt. ���I use that to improve my teaching.���

One way is to employ her status as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) to sponsor students as they pursue the coveted CFA professional credential. Her sponsorship enables budding financiers to sit for the first of the three exams at a fraction of the normal registration fee.

��� I often think about what I went through and felt during my student life, and I use that to improve my teaching. ���

Yingying Shao

Because the test is extremely difficult and the credential is highly valued in the financial world, job seekers who take it stand out.

���It can be a big plus on a resume,��� says Shao, ���showcasing a student���s skill, knowledge and willingness to take on the challenge.���

To prepare students for the positions they will land with those impressive resumes, Shao infuses practical application and real-world connections into her classes. She always links theories with examples of how those concepts are playing out in the market.

And Shao���s Financial Modeling class is specifically designed to help students be workplace ready. The course offers hands-on experience solving financial problems within Excel spreadsheet models ��� a know-how essential in many finance jobs.

���I think what���s most important for our college students is not only getting the textbook knowledge,��� says Shao, ���but also the professional skills that will help them develop their careers and be successful in the workplace.���