A Global Vision

In 2013, Fortune Magazine named Jim Parsons (FIN ’96) to its “Ones to Watch” select list of 12 “high-flying” individuals from finance, tech, even sports, describing him as a “hedge fund star in the making.” But the legacy of Parsons and his wife, Dr. Carrie Quinn, ultimately may be more aptly described as the “Ones Who Gave Back.”

In October, the University announced Parsons, CEO of Junto Capital Management, and Quinn, an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital, had given a $20 million gift to establish the Notre Dame Institute for Global Investing (NDIGI) at the Mendoza College of Business.

“The Notre Dame Institute for Global Investing provides that vital nexus for research, the classroom, our alumni and other partners so that we can leverage all of it for a greater impact than the sum of its parts,” said Roger Huang, Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College. “I’m very thankful to Jim and Carrie for their foresight, vision and amazing generosity.”

The Institute will leverage three key strengths — Mendoza’s top-rated finance faculty, the innovative finance curriculum and extensive strategic partnerships — to form a platform for both learning and influencing the way investment managers the world over think about global finance.

NDIGI’s goals include expanding internship and career placement opportunities; leveraging key partnerships among the College, the Notre Dame Investment Office and ND’s extensive alumni network; furthering faculty research and thought leadership; attracting prospective finance faculty; and adding depth and breadth to Mendoza’s already strong finance curriculum.

Associate Finance Professor Shane Corwin has been named as the Institute’s director. Corwin, who joined Notre Dame in 2000, teaches and researches in the areas of security market design and investment banking. “With this institute, we have the opportunity to build a world-renowned program that will have a lasting impact on our students, our faculty, and the broader investment community,” Corwin says.

For his part, AIM alum Parsons, hopes the Institute will emphasize morality and integrity in financial training, as well as help to spread those values from the University to Wall Street and the world.

“That would only further AIM, further Notre Dame, and enhance the way people view the University,” Parsons said. “If we can inculcate the Notre Dame way of doing things into the finance world, we’ll all be better served.”

Editor’s Note: Look for more information about the work of the Notre Dame Institute for Global Investing in the Mendoza Business spring edition.