Innovations That Inspire
Bridging Finance Education with Industry: The SJSU Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, Morgan Stanley, and CERIFI Partnered SIE Program.
The San José State University (SJSU) Securities Industry Essentials® (SIE®) sponsorship-driven program model combines traditional education with experiential learning to offer students career advantages. Morgan Stanley provides not only financial sponsorship for exam fees and preparatory software from CeriFi but also unique mentorship and networking opportunities. This partnership creates a direct bridge between students and the financial industry.
Call to Action
The finance industry demands career-ready graduates with both academic knowledge and practical experience. The SJSU SIE program aimed to solve three critical challenges for students: the difficulty in accessing direct interactions with industry professionals, the need for certifications to improve career prospects, and financial barriers to pursuing industry certifications. The school’s desire to find a new avenue for experiential learning to equip students for this next stage inspired the creation of the SJSU SIE program.
SJSU sought to develop a program that trains students to be academically prepared and possess practical skills while also supporting their efforts to earn a certification that demonstrates their readiness to enter a competitive job market. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) SIE Exam provides the perfect opportunity for students to show their commitment to a career in finance directly to industry professionals.
Recognizing that students may lack the resources to pursue certifications like the SIE Exam, which can be a key differentiator when pursuing a career, the school aimed to alleviate that financial burden for participating students.
By partnering with Morgan Stanley, the university has eliminated financial barriers, connected students with industry professionals, and provided free comprehensive study materials through CeriFi and exam fee vouchers directly from the company.
This program is a model that can be replicated across institutions to ensure that all students, regardless of financial background, have the opportunity to advance their careers.
Innovation Description
The SJSU SIE program is designed to provide finance students the opportunity to complete the SIE Exam in a one-credit independent study course in a single semester. Each student sends an application to the founder and advisor of the program—Matthew Faulkner, faculty member of the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business at SJSU—at the beginning of the semester. Students are provided with parameters around their expected completion dates for the material.
Given the partnership with Morgan Stanley, students obtain access to the CeriFi SIE prep software for free and, upon completion, students receive an exam voucher to register with FINRA to take the SIE Exam.
Beyond eliminating financial barriers for students, this program fosters a learning community through cohort study groups and peer networking opportunities. Throughout the semester, students interact with a variety of Morgan Stanley professionals a minimum of three times. Typically, the semester concludes with a panel session and networking lunch at the Morgan Stanley San Jose office.
The program also prioritizes peer accountability by encouraging students to meet the advisor-set milestones throughout the semester with regular check-ins. The study process is entirely self-directed, so students develop not only industry-relevant skills but also discipline and self-management skills. The advisor follows up once a month with the cohort on their progress.
CeriFi and Morgan Stanley connections, as well as a template of the course structure, are available directly from Matthew Faulkner.
Innovation Impact
The SJSU SIE program has had a profound impact on all parties involved. First and most importantly, students have opened new career doors by taking part in this initiative. Approximately 120 students have participated in the SIE program at no personal cost. Many have secured internships and full-time roles at Morgan Stanley and other reputable institutions as a direct result of the program.
Second, the program sponsor has benefited by shaping future finance leaders and connecting directly with future employees. Additionally, this initiative has been recognized as part of the Morgan Stanley Managing Director’s Achievement Award.
Third, this program benefits SJSU’s silent third partner, CeriFi, in its sales of SIE review software. It also exposes students to the company, which offers quality review software for countless finance certifications they may complete throughout their careers.
Finally, the program’s emphasis on networking has provided students with career opportunities and industry insights and has further strengthened ties between SJSU students, the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, and Silicon Valley’s financial sector. This initiative not only increases students’ job market competitiveness but also establishes a replicable model for other universities to engage industry partners in their experiential learning academic programs.