Banking & Credit Analysis Class Takes Part in Real World Banking Exercises

The Banking & Credit Analysis class was an important turning point in my college career. It really gave me the tools and experiences I needed to prepare myself for a role in banking. As I began applying for full-time positions, the real-world experience with BMO proved to be a highlight on my resume. The skills gained through the course gave me a strong advantage among other applicants. As a result, I was offered 3 positions, and I am happy to share that I will be joining the corporate bank in BMO Capital Markets post-graduation.”
– Isabelle Fisher

Finance students in Professor Martin Essenburg’s FIN 398 Banking & Credit Analysis class, recently had the opportunity to participate in a real life banking exercise courtesy of BMO Harris Bank and Wintrust here in Chicago. The first half of the class was held on campus, followed by four consecutive weeks at the bank where finance students worked with banking executives on a real world experience project. At the conclusion of the real world exercise, students presented the final project results to the banking executives and received valuable feedback of their work.

As the first course in the new Banking & Capital Markets recommended course sequencing, the class is specifically designed to give students practical insight into the role commercial banks play in the global financial system through credit inter-mediation. Students are taught the credit analysis process (qualitative and quantitative) that a bank goes through as it relates to corporate credit and the resulting impact on risk mitigation, loan structuring, and pricing. Significant emphasis is put on three financial statement excel modeling (developing alternative scenario projections), industry analysis, and structuring of loans and associated covenants. The course is purposefully designed to give students a real sense of what it means to be a commercial banker by having the students engage in a five-week real world exercise with a host bank that culminates with student loan proposal presentations to senior level credit committees. In 2018, the course was taught twice with Center members BMO and Wintrust being the host institutions.

John Cassata, also a student participant, shared his experience with us. “Professor Essenburg’s Banking & Credit Analysis and IB (Investment Banking) classes were among the most realistic learning experiences that I had at DePaul. Rather than simply reading about the life of a banker from pages in a textbook, the classes allow students to be fully immersed in the work and truly understand it on a practical level. This practical understanding proved to be extremely valuable in my interviews for full time positions, and gave me a basis of banking experience that was imperative in landing my current role at BMO Harris. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to take these classes, and look forward to seeing more DePaul students around the industry.”