Athletic Department Holds Annual Senior Dinner

The turbulent economy has impacted a significant portion of the American public, including those preparing to enter the workforce for the first time. While the nerves of many college seniors are certainly frayed, Carnegie Mellon’s senior student-athletes took a big step in their preparation for life after college when they attended the Senior Dinner on Tuesday, February 24.

The seniors were joined by two experts from the financial industry – alumni Roger Roble and RF Culbertson. Roble was a football student-athlete during his time at Carnegie Mellon and has gone on to achieve great success in the world of wealth management. Culbertson is an entrepreneur by trade and has spent the past nine years teaching in the Tepper School of Business.

“Our senior student-athletes have spent four years excelling in the classroom and in their respective sports and we know they will continue to succeed when they leave Carnegie Mellon this spring,” said Director of Athletics Susan Bassett. “The Senior Dinner gives us a chance to celebrate their accomplishments and provide them with some practical advice moving forward.”

Roble and Culbertson each discussed the current economic landscape and answered questions from the student-athletes regarding the housing market, gold values and risk tolerance. Culbertson discussed compounding interest and the importance of saving early in one’s career.

“Even as a finance major, I was able to pick up a couple of new things,” said basketball senior Terrance Bouldin-Johnson. “Both speakers were very knowledgeable and spoke about how we can increase our wealth as we get older. I couldn’t think of a better topic for the seniors.”

Part of the athletics department’s Excellence Forum, the Senior Dinner provides a chance for upcoming graduates to be recognized for their contributions both on and off the playing fields at Carnegie Mellon. Bassett, who developed the Excellence Forum, believes the university’s student-athletes will leave campus with everything they need for successful personal and professional lives.

“What I love about Carnegie Mellon are the students, because we’re teaching and coaching the future leaders of America in many important industries,” Bassett said. “I hope we empower them and motivate them to accomplish great things in their careers and personal lives.”