Each year, the Master of Science in Finance attracts some of the top athletes here at The University of Texas at Austin and beyond. Triathletes, swimmers, baseball stars, football players, and even an Olympic gold medalist, the MS in Finance recognizes that the dedication athletes give to their sports translates directly to the dedication they can give to business.  So it comes as no surprise that one of our very own Master of Science in Finance students was awarded a scholarship to recognize his excellence in both academics and athletics.

MSF Class of 2019 student Imri Ganiel was one of two recipients of NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, alongside fellow swimmer Madisyn Cox. The one-time $7,500 scholarships are awarded after each corresponding sport season (fall, winter and spring). The NCAA awards 29 scholarships to men and 29 scholarships to women for each term. It is just the fifth time in UT history that a pair of Longhorns have claimed this honor in the same calendar year and the first since 1988. Ganiel and Cox mark the 27th and 28th athletes at the University of Texas to earn this prestigious scholarship.

As a swimmer, Imri began his career at the age of 12, and throughout the years represented Israel as a part of the Junior and Senior national swim teams, ultimately going on to represent Israel at the 30th games held in London. After completing Israel’s mandatory military service, he was recruited to swim for the University of Texas Men’s Swimming and Diving Team. He was a member of three national championship title teams, with four Big XII titles. With an original undergraduate goal of pursuing medicine, Imri realized senior year that his interests were in finance and the economy.

Upon completing his undergraduate degree, Imri wanted to gain a solid foundation in business and finance skills that could open more possibilities for him in the future. “I was looking for a program that would not only teach me a lot, but challenge me. I knew UT has a great business school, which helped make the decision a lot easier.” The fact that the program was completed in 10-months and was open to all undergraduate majors attracted him as well as a Biochemistry undergraduate. “I had no previous background in finance or business; therefore, I was looking for a program that will teach me a lot. I enjoy being a student and, through my experience as a student-athlete, was confident I could handle the academic intensive course load.”

Imri cites training as an athlete as strong preparation for the academic rigor of the program. With 9 water workouts and 5 weight room workouts weekly (a total of around 22 hours!), he entered the program with strong time management and organization skills. “I knew what I had to do every day in order to successfully complete all of my assignments and projects. I would try to do a bit every day rather than trying to cram everything the last night.” Imri also saw the importance of “non-school” days on the weekend, but ultimately, prioritizing his training and academics helped him succeed. “Scheduling my time and working hard all semester long has definitely saved me during midterms/finals time, especially when it came to getting more hours of sleep.”

Now as a MS in Finance student, Imri has excelled in his studies. When dealing with an academically intensive program, Imri believes that his experience as a student-athlete has helped him stay organized and succeed in this program. Currently enrolled in extra courses, Ganiel has maintained a top degree of academic excellence in the program.

The MS Finance program is excited about Imri’s future. “I accepted a position as an analyst with Raymond James’ oil and gas equity research team in Houston and will be starting in mid-June.” Beyond that, he sees many possible paths in finance open to him. We are proud to have him as a Texas MSF future alum and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

The Texas Master of Science Programs would like to extend a warm congratulations to both Imri and Madisyn on their well-deserved scholarships.