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USF relationship with T. Rowe Price spurs student success

Recently, some of USF's best and brightest students were given the opportunity to travel to Baltimore and meet with executives at T. Rowe Price's corporate headquarters. The students, along with Muma College of Business leaders, took the all-expenses-paid trip to learn more about the national job opportunities that exist for business majors.

Over the last several years, the relationship between the USF Muma College of Business and the company's Tampa office has grown to include much more than recruiting. From sponsoring the "25 Under 25" program to recognize the best business undergraduates to encouraging employees to individually mentor USF students who are the first in their families to attend college, T. Rowe Price has given back to the College of Business in ways beyond internship and job opportunities.

"At USF, when we talk about how universities should work with companies for a win-win-win, we always talk about our college and T. Rowe Price," Muma College of Business Dean Moez Limayem said during the Baltimore trip, referring to the benefits that students, the college, and the company can gain from partnering with each other.

Allison Fernandez, a first-generation student and USF finance major, said USF's relationship with T. Rowe Price through the Corporate Mentor Program has helped her gain professional skills and navigate the corporate world. Her mentor, Morgan Watts, is a financial advisor at T. Rowe Price and a USF Muma College of Business graduate.

"For me, the Corporate Mentor Program was that base that made everything happen for me," Fernandez said. "I know I have to prepare myself. Before I didn't even know how."

The recent trip to T. Rowe Price Headquarters has already yielded a tangible "win" for some students. Thanks to the deepening relationship, opportunities that have historically been reserved for Ivy League scholars are opening up for USF students. Julio Novo, a finance senior, was invited back for an internship interview by a recruiter he met while in Baltimore. Novo said he is excited about the learning experience and the chance to experience the corporate culture again.

"During our trip to Baltimore, we had the opportunity to informally get to talk to the top management of T. Rowe Price about their career paths," Novo said. "One of the things that was mentioned a lot was the culture, and how everybody really liked the firm's corporate culture. I've had exposure to T. Rowe Price before this in Tampa, and to see that the culture extends all the way up to headquarters is amazing."

John Townsend, vice president of financial services and general manager of the firm's Tampa Financial Center, said he has enjoyed working with USF and is excited to see what the future will bring.

"I can tell you that the folks in Baltimore who met with the students and who met with the dean have had only positive things to say," Townsend said. "What we really learned, though, is that there is a relationship building. There are shared values and similar cultures that exist, and I think it sets up both the USF Muma College of Business and T. Rowe Price for a very long, prosperous relationship."