Developing Financially Ethical Students in New Gordon College Master’s Program
Alexander Lowry | January 25, 2018
Gordon College (Credit: Gordon College)
The seemingly endless reports of Wall Street scandals demonstrate the number of actors willing to bend and break the rules to benefit themselves. Unfortunately, it’s too easy for some on Wall Street to overlook ethical constraints and only care about the ends, not the means. I witnessed this while working at J.P. Morgan during the London Whale ignominy in 2012.
I realized the financial services industry thirsts for something revolutionary: ethical decision making. Recognizing this need I joined Gordon College to launch the school’s new Master of Science in Financial Analysis. I am proud that the first cohort of students begins this week.
As executive director, my goal is to combine rigorous academic grit and robust spiritual formation in a preeminent, holistic program that equips students with essential business and analytical skills, such as preparing them for the Chartered Financial Analyst exam, within a framework of Christian values. My own financial services experience, including leadership roles at J.P. Morgan and serving on the board of a $750 million pension, highlighted that while there is no shortage of brilliant minds in finance, not everyone is singing from the same ethical hymn sheet.
The master’s program at Gordon is a unique way to train and prepare future leaders by building on Gordon’s commitment to preparing students to become successful in their careers and to be defenders of truth. My firsthand experience on Wall Street convinced me that the Christian distinctive of Gordon’s program is something that will set apart its graduates.
A decade removed from the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, the tragic impact on entire economies, local communities, families, and individuals is obvious. The Crisis, and what followed, provides a window into the unethical behavior at some finance firms and the assumptions underpinning corporate life more generally. This raises issues for everyone of faith seeking a more collective view of our common good and a shared journey. The finance industry needs more employees who have a focus on faith, ethics, culture, and community.
