Wisconsin School of Business celebrates 125 years with bell ringing at NY Stock Exchange

When you’re celebrating your 125th anniversary, go big or go home. The Wisconsin School of Business (WSB) went big at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) this fall, where members of the WSB and UW–Madison communities rang the closing bell.

“Being able to ring the closing bell is an immense honor and privilege — but above all, it’s a recognition of the entire WSB community’s work to tirelessly shape the next generation of leaders,” says Vallabh “Samba” Sambamurthy, WSB’s Albert O. Nicholas Dean.

The renowned Wisconsin School of Business awards UW–Madison Online bachelor’s degrees in human resources, management and marketing. These fully online degrees offer a flexible format that fits around students’ goals, work and family, with the same rigor and prestige as the university’s in-person programs.

A place where people can thrive

Gavel in hand, Dean Samba closes the day’s trading session. Photo by NYSE Group

Alongside Sambamurthy on the bell podium was distinguished UW–Madison alumnus Jeff Sprecher (BS ’78), chair and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange — parent company of the NYSE — who hosted WSB. The two were joined by more than a dozen prominent Business Badgers.

While the day’s trading may have ended with the bell and Sambamurthy’s strike of the gavel, the night’s celebration was just getting started. More than 170 alumni packed the NYSE’s historic halls for a spirited anniversary event, WSB in NYC: 125 Years of Doing Business the Badger Way.

There, alumni and friends had lively conversations, made new connections and engaged with a presentation from school leadership highlighting WSB’s bold future and investments in artificial intelligence. They also heard from local WSB board members, including Cynthia Chu (BBA ’99), chair of the school’s External Advisory Board, about what has made WSB special for the last 125 years.

“Just like New York City, the Wisconsin School of Business is really a true melting pot: a place where people from all over the world can come to and thrive,” said Chu, the CFO and chief growth officer at Audible, in her remarks. “Each person in attendance tonight really is part of the school’s legacy in motion, and this anniversary is as much a celebration of your success as it is the school’s success.”

Developing top-tier talent

A camera perched atop the bell podium captures the entire Business Badger cohort displaying the “W.” Photo by NYSE Group

Over the past decade, WSB has become a powerful engine for top-tier talent. WSB now sends nearly 100 students to Wall Street each year, and in the past four years alone, has grown total finance career placements by 70 percent. In the New York metro area alone, student placements in finance have more than tripled, and the number of firms hiring WSB graduates has nearly tripled as well.

“Wisconsin shapes exceptional talent — people who lead with humility, grit and a growth mindset,” adds Chu. “There’s a quiet confidence in the way they show up; they’re not chasing headlines, they’re building trust and getting the work done.”

For more information on joining distinguished Wisconsin School of Business alumni by earning an online bachelor’s degree, explore UW–Madison Online programs.

This article was excerpted from WSB Rings Closing Bell, Celebrates 125th Anniversary with Alumni at New York Stock Exchange by Alumni Relations.