DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
$1,000,000 over four years to establish the Fred Arditti Center for Risk Management

Fred Arditti, noted economist and distinguished professor, was a pioneer in the global futures industry -- transforming how businesses and individuals manage risk. He played a key role in helping Chicago secure its international stature in the world of finance.

He joined DePaul University in 1990 after holding a number of prominent positions in the securities industry. His textbook, "Derivatives," remains an essential classroom resource on the subject.

DePaul University is now establishing the Fred Arditti Center for Risk Management to honor the achievements of this great Chicagoan, who died in 2005. Consistent with Fred Arditti's philosophy, the Center will produce graduates who are well-educated and well-trained to "do things."

The Center will design and implement an innovative curriculum in risk management and financial engineering, conduct rigorous research through the appointment of Arditti Scholars, and offer internships to meet the needs of students and the industry.

Blending vigorous intellectual leadership with useful research, the Fred Arditti Center will raise DePaul University's visibility in the field -- and produce "real world" graduates well prepared for careers in the financial markets.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
$1,000,000 over four years in support of derivatives and capital markets education

Chicago is a thriving economic powerhouse and the country's second largest financial center. Many of the nation's largest banks, brokerage houses and commodity firms are headquartered here. Keeping pace is Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, one of the finest and most innovative business schools in the country.

The school's constantly evolving curriculum mirrors the ever changing dynamics of the market. In fact, many courses at Kellogg - indeed, entire subjects - did not exist just a decade ago. Kellogg is committed to nourishing a culture in which new ideas quickly turn into learning opportunities for students.

A new sequence of class offerings will now enable undergraduates to obtain certification in finance, and expand students' access to classes that are currently oversubscribed. With the launch of a new assets management course, MBA students will gain more sophisticated experience in capital markets. New PhD courses and fellowships will focus on derivatives and related research.

Ensuring the ongoing vitality and relevance of Kellogg's programs makes good business sense - as the school prepares students to truly excel in today's challenging marketplace.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
$1,500,000 over four years in support of an Initiative on International Financial Markets

There is no business school that influences business education and practice more than the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Among its ranks are six Nobel laureates whose influential work has come to be known world-wide as the "Chicago School of Economics."

Within this intellectual framework and culture, the University of Chicago will launch an Initiative on International Financial Markets. This is the first step toward establishing a permanent center with this focus at the Graduate School of Business.

The Initiative will provide leadership and training to support the development of markets, products, and public policies to improve financial efficiency around the globe. It will conduct extensive research, bring the best young academics of international note to Chicago, and engage exceptional students in projects to develop and improve international financial markets.

In undertaking joint ventures and programs with other educational institutions, corporations and finance ministries from around the world, the Initiative will establish Chicago as the pre-eminent source of knowledge, expertise, and activity regarding international financial markets.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
$250,000 in support of an International Futures and Options Center

The UIC College of Business Administration provides the business leaders of tomorrow with a high-quality, high value, research-based education that enables them to succeed in a competitive market.

The establishment of an International Futures and Options Center is further proof of the university's commitment to provide a world-class education -- with worldwide focus. The Center will foster research and learning about the role of futures and derivative products, with an emphasis on understanding their role in global commerce.

A major focus of the Center will be on China where the university has extensive connections. As a global economic powerhouse, China offers myriad opportunities for research within its emerging markets. The Center will also draw resources, expertise and faculty affiliates from Chicago's local financial community.

As a global source for scholarship on futures and options, the Center will organize international conferences for researchers and financial firms, sponsor visiting scholars, maintain significant research databases, and host seminars for public finance practitioners and policy makers. It will also produce highly skilled graduates who are market-ready for the global marketplace.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
$1,000,000 over four years for the Initiative for Financial Risk and Markets

Combining a first-rate faculty with the resources of a Big-Ten school, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a world-class teaching institution. Its College of Business ranks among the finest business schools in the country.

The Initiative for Financial Risk and Markets will build on the University’s renowned excellence in business education -- and the cutting-edge programs of the University’s Office for the Study of Private Equity and Entrepreneurial Finance.

Recognizing that young, private companies are a major source of innovation and an engine of growth in both the Illinois and U.S. economies, the Initiative’s curriculum and related programs will focus on risk management, capital markets, and new venture development.

The Initiative will offer top-notch faculty with real-world financial market experience, new interdisciplinary degree programs, advanced software and other analytical learning tools, and research on the emerging discipline of behavioral finance. CME Trust scholarships will support doctoral and undergraduate students in need.

The Initiative for Financial Risk and Markets will provide the intellectual leadership and resources to attract the most promising students -- and produce the most promising financial leaders for the national and global marketplace.