This year, the Heloise Ham Scholarship Fund witnessed an extraordinary array of exceptional candidates, each showcasing remarkable dedication and talent. Beyond their unwavering commitment to the CFA Research Challenge, these inspiring recipients, honored through the esteemed Graham Center, crafted and submitted a collection of compelling essays. These essays beautifully encapsulated the profound lessons they gleaned from the competition and illuminated their ambitious aspirations for their future careers in finance. CFA Society New York proudly congratulates the distinguished 2024 winners and extends heartfelt gratitude to all participants for their impressive efforts and contributions.

Louis Mignone
Louis MignoneFairleigh Dickinson University, Silberman College of Business
Bachelor of Science in Finance 2025

Louis Mignone is a senior at Fairleigh Dickinson University studying finance and psychology. Louis caught the bug of investing early, and his passion has guided him through internship experiences at Ameriprise Financial and American Express. At his university, Louis leads and helped start the portfolio of its Student Managed Investment Fund. This summer, Louis will intern in Bank of America’s Public Finance Investment Banking group. In his free-time, Louis enjoys playing and coaching soccer.

My biggest takeaway from the CFA Research Challenge was that analytical research is more creative than not. As someone who always thrived in English/Literature classes in high school, I observed many parallels between understanding stories and analyzing businesses. Our team conducted boots-on-the-ground research, hosted customer surveys, and assessed broader consumer trends to complement our thesis. I learned that engaging research courageously deviates from conventional formulation, and resembles more closely the dynamic interpretation of creative bodies of art.

Cameron Barisano
Cameron BarisanoFairfield University, Dolan School of Business
Bachelor of Science in Finance 2024
Cameron Barisano is from Westford, MA and graduated Fairfield University in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance. Cameron was a captain of the D1 Men’s Lacrosse Team at Fairfield and will be working at BNY Mellon as an Internal Wholesaler.

My biggest takeaway was building upon my knowledge of industry research and financial modeling. Working within a team built upon collaboration and time management skills. My participation helped develop and maintain my network while also understanding the industry.
Fatima Abba
Fatima AbbaFairleigh Dickinson University, Silberman College of Business
Bachelor of Science in Finance & Wealth Management, Honors Program 2026
Fatima Abba is a Finance student specializing in Wealth Management and Economics, currently a Research Assistant at New York University contributing to both financial analysis and economic research. Her past experience includes financial analysis in the healthcare sector.

Unraveling financial enigma, strategizing against market forces, and wielding financial statements like detective tools – it was finance brought to life, an intricate puzzle begging to be solved.

Keli Liang
Keli LiangBaruch College, Zicklin School of Business
Master’s in Finance, 2023

Keli graduated from Baruch College in December 2023 with a Master of Science Degree in Finance. He is highly passionate about valuations and the financing space. In addition to dedicating himself to continuing to grow in his chosen profession, he also takes time to stay active and articulate his skills in surfing.

The most valuable lesson I learned from participating in the program is team communication. Through conversations with industry professionals, I grasped practical knowledge and experience that is universally applicable and helps me to continue to grow.

Sophia Hofer
Sophia HoferUniversity at Albany, SUNY, Massry School of Business
Bachelor of Science in Accounting & Financial Analyst Honors 2024
Sophia Hofer is originally from West Islip, New York. She attended the University at Albany with a double major in Financial Analyst Honors and Accounting. Last summer, she interned at J.P. Morgan as a Global Finance and Business Management Intern, and will be returning to the firm full-time as a Middle Market Banking and Specialized Industries Analyst.

My biggest takeaway from the CFA research challenge was expanding on my financial analysis and modelling skills. Practicing this in-depth analysis for a company was highly useful and these skills carry over to any finance profession in the industry.