The Zhang Financial Presidential Internship is a program that will give a WMU Finance student a paid role at Zhang Financial, managing Western Michigan University President Russ Kavalhuna’s personal investment portfolio.
Kavalhuna is already a Zhang client. He said he trusts WMU students, and the internship allows them to get real-life experience.
“Skeptics say, 'is college really worth it?' And skeptics say, 'Do students really gain skills that are useful? And is the tuition worth it?' My answer is yes, and I wanted to put my own money where my mouth is," Kavalhuna said.
WMU senior Mo Tall was already a financial-planning assistant at Zhang when he was chosen for the inaugural role.
“I think the college landscape has changed a lot. I think having real-world work experience prior to graduation is almost essential for success," Tall said.
Tall said it's been a rewarding experience and one he believes will help him in his career field.
Kavalhuna announced the internship alongside Lynn Chen-Zhang, WMU Trustee and CEO of Zhang Financial.
Chen-Zhang said the internship is meant to increase entry-level opportunities for WMU students in an increasingly volatile job market.
“At Western, the faculty, we trust our products. We put trust in our products and that’s how we help them," Chen-Zhang said.
Chen-Zhang said the position has oversight from the team at Zhang Financial, though Tall and future interns will remain primarily responsible for Kavalhuna's personal portfolio.
Chen-Zhang and Kavalhuna said the internship is expected to continue indefinitely, with a new intern chosen annually.
