Professional associations are organizations that provide their members opportunities for learning, advocacy, and networking. Their membership is typically comprised of individuals in a particular profession, folks who work in the same industry, or people who share a common identity—similar to the student organization’s here in the College of Business, like Society for Human Resource Management, Real Estate Club, or Latinx Business Association.
Joining a professional association (even as a college student!) provides numerous benefits worth considering.
One of the biggest reasons to join a professional association is to build relationships with people in your industry or role. Connecting to a community of professionals while you’re in college can help you gain career insights, access to possible mentors (many associations have membership directories), and build a foundation of professional contacts that will be helpful as you begin your post-grad career.
Many professional associations have LinkedIn pages or groups you could join, too!
Attending conferences, webinars, and meet-ups hosted by a professional association will allow you to keep up with trends, knowledge, and skills necessary to be successful in your future career. You can dive deeper into niche topics, or even earn a credential, which will set you apart from other soon-to-be graduates. There may even be opportunities to volunteer on a committee or gain leadership experience, which can bolster your resume.
Apart from networking with members and professionals who may have job or internship opportunities to share, many professional associations have job boards (some are open, some require membership to access) or job announcements they send out to members.
As a membership benefit, professional associations may send out a newsletter, industry journal, or provide access to other resources to their members, again providing you the opportunity to learn from other professionals and stay on top of current news and trends.
Some professional associations offer scholarships and funding opportunities to make attending conferences and events, or earning credentials, more financially feasible for students. Associations often offer discounted student membership pricing you can take advantage of, too.
Below is just a sample of professional associations related to the Finance concentration. For a more comprehensive list visit CareerOneStop, linked below, where you can search a database of hundreds of organizations by industry and/or role.
*Check association websites for up-to-date membership information and pricing.
Finance
Professional Associations
The American Finance Association (AFA) is the premier academic organization devoted to the study and promotion of knowledge about financial economics. Publishers of The Journal of Finance for more than 80 years. Its purpose is to improve public understanding of financial problems and provide for the exchange of financial ideas.
🎓Discounted student membership!
Financial Management Association
The Financial Management Association International (FMA) is a global leader in developing and disseminating knowledge about financial decision making, and promoting the understanding of sound financial practices and high-quality research.
🎓Discounted student membership!
Association for Finance Professionals
As the certifying body in treasury and finance, the Association for Financial Professionals established and administers the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) and Certified Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis Professional (FPAC) credentials, setting the standard of excellence in the profession globally. AFP’s mission is to drive the future of finance and treasury and develop the leaders of tomorrow through certification, training, and the premier event for treasury and finance.
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute
The CFA Institute seeks to set professional standards for investment management practitioners and broadly engage other finance professionals through their interest and interactions with the investment management industry. They are the credentialing coordinator for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) credentials.
🎓Discounted student membership!
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
SIFMA is the leading trade association for broker-dealers, investment banks and asset managers operating in the U.S. and global capital markets. We advocate on legislation, regulation and business policy affecting retail and institutional investors, equity and fixed income markets and related products and services.
National Investment Banking Association
The National Investment Banking Association (NIBA) is a not-for-profit association for the micro-cap and small-cap investment community and has hosted nearly 150 investment conferences. NIBA network firms are responsible for 90% of all IPOs under $20 million. NIBA’s network is comprised of thousands of investment professionals representing over 60 key industry services and includes over 8,800 registered representatives that have over $78 billion assets under management.
⭐ NIBA offers a Conference Internship Program to college students nearing graduation!
