Thunderbird Finance Association

Is your organization interested in attracting finance-focused candidates? Consider partnering with our Thunderbird Finance Association students.

Thunderbird Finance Association

Mission and Purpose

The Thunderbird Finance Association (TFA) is a student-run organization dedicated to building awareness of — and preparing students for — various careers in the field of finance. At Thunderbird, the TFA serves as a conduit between the curriculum taught in the classroom and opportunities in the professional world. We facilitate activities that enhance student knowledge in commercial and consumer banking, corporate finance, investment banking, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital.

The TFA is one of the largest student clubs on campus with more than 150 student members every year, each interested in various career paths in finance. Working in conjunction with the Career Management Center (CMC), the TFA organizes a number of events each fall and spring trimester. In addition, the TFA collaborates with other clubs on campus, conducting shared events with the Private Equity Venture Capital Club, the Thunderbird Management & Consulting Association and the Thunderbird Marketing Association. We strive to keep Thunderbird students informed and prepared through the following activities, each of which provides a unique opportunity for recruiters to interface with motivated, focused Thunderbird business students:  

  • Industry Speakers
    Eminent professionals from the industry are regularly invited by the TFA to speak with students on a broad range of subjects such as M&A, investment banking careers and real estate finance.
  • Networking Events
    The TFA arranges networking events with industry professionals to provide students with opportunities to build their industry knowledge and career network. These events are ideal for recruiters looking to engage with candidates informally.
  • Skill-building Seminars
    In addition to professional speakers, the TFA strives to bring to campus seminars on key skills such as modeling and valuation to complement Thunderbird finance coursework. Recruiters can participate in or sponsor these workshops to enhance their branding on campus.
  • Case Competitions
    The TFA organizes and promotes various finance competitions on and off the Thunderbird campus. Stock portfolio investment, ForEx trading and M&A deal structuring are some of the competitions that are widely participated in at the campus level. Employers can provide support through financial sponsorship or participation as panel judges.  
  • Career Guidance
    Students from the TFA often hold information sessions about their finance career experiences to provide peers with a real look into the skills they will need and challenges they will face in the field. Foremost among these sessions is the annual finance intern panel, a valuable event for many Thunderbird students who are “career switchers” looking to successfully transition into finance.
  • Faculty and CMC Interface
    The TFA maintains close ties with Thunderbird's finance professors, who are actively involved in case competitions and seminars. The TFA also maintains a strong relationship with the Career Management Center to organize activities including TREKs (see below).
  • TREKs
    Finance TREKs take select students to cities such as New York and San Francisco to engage with finance departments of major firms and key financial services players. TREKs have been a success for both companies and students over the years: students get an opportunity to hear from industry professionals about day-to-day operations and challenges, while employers get the opportunity to interact and network with motivated, focused students.

Contact information

Club elections take place in May. In the meantime, please contact employer.relations@thunderbird.edu