Jennifer Westpfahl
UCA Day of Giving on March 8 resulted in a historical outcome for the university as a whole, raising $434,526 for dozens of departments and initiatives across campus, but it was also an important day for the College of Business. On this day, the Jennifer J. Westpfahl Women in Finance Scholarship was established as the very first scholarship with the goal to support women pursuing a career in the finance industry was established.
UCA Alum Jennifer Westpfahl ’99 established the scholarship to advocate on the behalf of female finance students. “I want this to be a gift that inspires others to give back but also makes an immediate impact on students,” Westpfahl stated.
Upon completing her finance degree at the UCA College of Business, Westpfahl embarked on a path to achieving her dream of working on Wall Street.
“There were not many opportunities for women to work in the financial services industry when I began my career. That has changed considerably, but there is still work to be done,” said Westpfahl.
Westpfahl did achieve her dream of working on Wall Street as she was recently promoted to Executive Director, Head of Field Services at Morgan Stanley. This came after her role as Head of FAA Talent Management where she was responsible for recruiting and developing the next generation of advisors in the financial services industry. In that role, she encouraged those who have not traditionally considered a career in finance in the past, specifically females, to do so.
“I want to bring to the forefront the importance of chasing your dreams and hard work. I hope this provides young women who want to work in the financial industry the opportunity to continue their coursework and pursue their dreams,” said Westpfahl. “Additionally, I am aiming to inspire other alumni to give back and support the College of Business and its students. UCA made a significant impact on my life, both personally and professionally, and I am grateful to have the capability to give back now. I challenge other UCA alumni to think about doing the same thing.”
The Jennifer J. Westpfahl Women in Finance Scholarship will be available for awarding beginning in Fall 2019. The scholarship will be awarded to students who are female and have a declared major of finance in the College of Business. The recipient shall be at least in junior-level standing and have a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The scholarship will be housed with the UCA Foundation, Inc.