Read the latest issue of Ourso on the Geaux, the official e-newsletter of the E. J. Ourso College of Business. This month, Dean Crook shares a welcome message, we check in on the Rucks International Scholars, and break new ground in economic and financial research.

Who would you choose to manage your investments: an AI or a human? Recent research suggests the smart answer to that question might be both. An award-winning paper from Junbo Wang, associate professor in the LSU Department of Finance, demonstrates that combining human expertise and machine power may be the future of skilled labor, using the financial industry as a test case.

Through two summer internships, LSU economics major Garrett Wainright is applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, from helping combat invasive species in Louisiana's waterways to advancing artificial intelligence solutions in business strategy. This work added more than a line to his résumé. It gave him a real opportunity to contribute to something that matters to him on a personal level.

To pursue their goal of building a future in finance, three LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business and Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College students are spending the summer on Wall Street. Isabella Corso (BS in Finance '27), Harper Davis (BS in Finance '26, minor in applied statistics), and Macy McCalip (BS in Accounting '27) are completing an eight-week internship at Varadero Capital (Varadero), a leading alternative investment manager focused in specialized credit markets.

Employers want job-ready graduates, but students need real-world practice to get there. Internships can be the key to building that experience, but without proper guidance, they can feel out of reach. That’s where LSU steps in. Through the Olinde Career Center, LSU connects students to thousands of internship opportunities and delivers the tools, support, and hands-on resources they need to compete and succeed.

Each year, the Rucks International Scholars Award (RISA) provides funding for LSU management majors to study abroad. These programs aid students in advancing their career readiness and enrich their undergraduate experience. The 2024-25 RISA winners share key moments from their life-changing journeys.

Have you noticed fewer brick-and-mortar banks in your neighborhood recently? Following decades of consistent growth, the number of bank branches in the U.S. began declining in 2010. A new working paper with the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) by Rajesh Narayanan, professor in the LSU Department of Finance, suggests this trend is due to technology making customers more powerful and less loyal, dramatically impacting profits.

What does it take to make an impact in public service? Associate Professor and Department Chair Roy Heidelberg shares his insights for building a successful career and how a Master of Public Administration degree prepares students to tackle complex governance challenges.

Thomas Greckhamer, a renowned scholar in strategic management, will serve as the next chair of the Rucks Department of Management in the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business.

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