Amit Bansal: Director, Center for Financial Health and Wellness
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Media Contact: Terry Tush | Director, Marketing and Communications | 405-744-2703 | terry.tush@okstate.edu
The Center for Financial Health and Wellness chose Amit Bansal to lead because of his varied and extensive background in the world of finance and banking.
He grew up in Agra, India, and earned his bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, India, and earned both a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering and his MBA from OSU. While earning his MBA, Bansal was an intern at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange.
His industry experience includes working in corporate banking at ABN Amro Bank in Chicago and New York City before accepting a position as assistant vice president of institutional equity sales for a broker-dealer firm with offices in those cities. Bansal started his own financial advisory firm Mitra Capital after moving back to India 10 years ago. He also established a business relationship with Third Seven Capital, a New York City-based broker-dealer to explore cross border M&A and fundraising for small firms in India and in the U.S.
Bansil has called Stillwater home for most of the past five years, teaching finance courses for Spears Business.
What is the Center for Financial Health and Wellness?
The Center for Financial Health and Wellness is a new center to significantly raise the level of financial literacy for Spears Business graduates and, more broadly, students across OSU. The center will extend a financial literacy program in high schools and in the community.
Why did you accept this role in leading the center?
I have been a great supporter of financial literacy. Even when I was an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Finance, I conducted financial literacy seminars for master’s students in Spears Business, Ph.D. students and faculty members in Residential Life, and high school students. When this opportunity was presented, I accepted this offer so that we can promote financial literacy not just to our students, but also to our staff and community members.
What are your vision and goals for the center?
The vision of the center is to provide students, staff and faculty with financial education and tools to make smart financial decisions, be financially independent and successful. It is also to provide financial well-being education in high schools and in communities across Oklahoma.
Why should an OSU business student be interested in the center and its goals?
Many college students have student loans and excessive credit card debt. Significant numbers of students are struggling with finances and are unprepared for financial emergencies, let alone a stable retirement. The center will provide students with one-on-one financial consultation to help in navigating personal finances and education on saving and investing now as well as after graduation.
In five and 10 years, what do you hope the center has accomplished?
In five years, I hope 100% of Spears Business graduates are financially literate, a high percentage of OSU graduates are also financially literate and all the staff and faculty members have adequate financial literacy to save for their kids’ education, their own retirement and to build generational wealth. In 10 years, I hope the center has a 100% rate of financially literate graduates each year and 100,000 citizens of Oklahoma and its 37 federally recognized Native American tribes have received high quality financial literacy education and training.
Story By: Terry Tush | Engage@Spears Magazine