Applied Security Analysis

The Hawk Center for Applied Security Analysis is a proven program

with a distinguished history of preparing students to become lead-
ing investment professionals. Since 1970, the program has provided
unique hands-on experience in investment analysis and portfolio man-
agement to a select group of students. Many of our graduates have
distinguished careers as portfolio managers, analysts, institutional
sales reps, and CIOs.

Center of Expertise “ASAP was key to

finding my way to Wall
Hawk Center for
Street and preparing
Applied Security
Analysis
me to work in the in-
vestment industry.”
The Applied Security
Brian Yelvington
Analysis Program was founded Class of 2001
by Professor Stephen L. Hawk, Director of Credit Arbitrage
who served as its faculty Collineo Asset Management
advisor from 1970 to 1983.
In 1999, in honor of Profes-
sor Hawk’s founding of the
Carol Kitman

program, alumni and friends

endowed the Hawk Center for
Applied Security Analysis.
Students have access to
state-of-the-art investment
tools/analytics and personal
workspace within the Center.
Beyond hands on experience
in selecting securities and
managing portfolios, students
also are exposed to a myriad
of investment processes, firms,
and practitioners.
The program is supported by
two Directors who combine
academic theory with practical
investment experience. The
Center also assists with career
advising and other types of
mentoring to help students find
career opportunities that match
their goals and interests.
Program Overview
The Applied Security Analysis Program (ASAP) has earned its reputation as a top student investment
education program for a variety of reasons:
• We combine investment theory with hands-on money management using the latest tools.
• The ASAP is a CFA® Program Partner, meaning our students are preparing for the CFA as they study.
• It’s not a club or a class, but a two year program where you get constant feedback by industry pros.
• We give students the ability to manage real money using their own philosophy and process.
• Our students have the opportunity to manage fixed income and equity portfolios.
• Forty years of history has produced a great network of alumni to teach and help students get jobs.
• Our highly selective admission process ensures you will be surrounded by people you can learn from.
Investment Analytical Skills and Security Selection
ASAP students spend a significant amount of time developing their analytical research skills in an effort to
help them identify attractive investment opportunities. This training is augmented by learning to profit from a
knowledge of market history, human nature and current trends. Students find they are quickly able to become
productive as they have access to many of the same research and data services used by large investment
management firms. We don’t teach a specific approach to investing, but instead expose students to a variety
of proven investment techniques being used throughout the industry. This allows students to develop their
own process that best maximizes their skills and personal views on how to profit in the markets. The bottom
line is that ASAP students learn the discipline and skills necessary to succeed as professional investors and
obtain some of the most competitive positions in the investment industry.
 career specialization
Hands-On Portfolio Management CFA® Program Partner
Our two-year program culminates with second-year students actively As a CFA® Program Partner, our students are assured that 70% of the
managing a real portfolio of more than $60 million. It’s material appearing on the CFA exams is covered in our curriculum. This
important to note that all investing decisions reside with the students. helps our students succeed in passing these important exams which have
This offers them a rare opportunity to manage without the “safety net” become a key measure of competency in our industry. The Hawk Center
typically present in many programs. This experience is truly also provides a review course in anticipation of the June exam for our
representative of a real-world investment firm and provides our students.
students with an immediate edge upon graduation.
Placement Success
Teams of second-year students manage three portfolios in two asset As our track record of successful almuni indicates, the Hawk Center for
classes — a traditional long only equity portfolio, a market neutral Applied Security Analysis has shown an outstanding ability to help our
equity portfolio and a fixed income portfolio. Each student is assigned students obtain both summer internships (after the first year) and full-time
to a portfolio team (but can assist other portfolios) and has research positions upon graduation. These positions can be on either the buy-side
duties for that team and other responsibilities for the overall firm. or sell-side of Wall Street, and range from research and portfolio manage-
ment to sales and trading opportunities.
Students are prepared for this level of portfolio responsibility through
a first-year core MBA curriculum, specialized finance courses, and a This is a partial list of the companies that have recently hired ASAP
specific ASAP-prep class taught by a local hedge fund manager with students for full-time and internship positions:
assistance from other ASAP alums. First-year students learn to
American Family Insurance Associated Wealth Management
generate high-quality stock reports, a skill that prepares them for
American Century Babson Capital
internships with major investment companies. During the summer,
BlackRock Investments Citigroup
students prepare industry reports on the group they will be responsible
Credit Suisse - Holt Credit Sights
for as analysts in the second year.
Deerfield Capital Fidelity Investment Management
Heartland Advisors Invesco Aim
During the second year of the Program, students are immersed in the
Longbow Research Mason Street Advisors
challenge of managing multi-million dollar portfolios. They work directly
Leuthold Group M&I Wealth Management
with the Director of ASAP, who has over twenty years of experience
Merrill Lynch Nakoma Capital Management
managing institutional and individual portfolios and also served as a
Putnam Investments Munder Capital
security analyst for various firms. Students are also exposed to more
Riversource Investments Robert W. Baird
advanced training in stock screening, the communication of stock ideas
SIT Investment Associates State of Wisconsin Investment Board
to portfolio managers, and portfolio risk management.
UBS Research Victory Capital Management
Outstanding Alumni Network RBC Global Asset Management Wisco Research

Our nearly 500 alumni are placed at approximately 250 firms across If you’d like more information on how to apply to ASAP (or if you’d like to
the U.S. and around the world. They work on both the buy-side and recruit from our Program), please contact us using the information below.
sell-side of Wall Street and their positions range from security research,
portfolio management and trading to institutional sales reps and Contact Information
investor relations professionals. This tightly knit network provides an
invaluable resource that starts while you are here and lasts a lifetime.
Brian Hellmer, CFA - Hawk Center Director
Students will have numerous opportunities to interact with our alumni. Phone: (608) 262-9039
A key highlight is our bi-annual investment conference, where ASAP Email: bhellmer@bus.wisc.edu
alumns and students come together for information sessions featuring Website: www.uwasap.org
speakers from leading research firms, socializing and a Badger football
game. Our alumni are also very active in helping bring their real world Hawk Center for Applied Security Analysis
experience back to the Hawk Center, and are frequently featured as Wisconsin School of Business
guest lecturers during both years of the program. 3540 Grainger Hall
975 University Ave.
Finally, many of our alumni serve directly as mentors to the students, Madison, WI 53706-1323
offering feedback on their investment ideas, communications skills,
interviewing strategies, and portfolio construction. This constant Wisconsin MBA Information
feedback from industry veterans is just another way in which our www.bus.wisc.edu/mba
students are prepared to hit the ground running after graduation.