April is National Financial Literacy Month, emphasizing the value of financial education and informed decision-making.
In 2013, Tim Atwell, a leading tech executive, was featured in US Black Engineer magazine and celebrated in North Carolina A&T State University's Alumni Times. At the time, Atwell had held several senior roles at Bank of America, including overseeing technology operations and managing over 16,000 ATMs.
In the USBE magazine interview, Atwell highlighted the critical role of technology in banking, stating, "If there's no technology in the bank, you don't have much of a bank." After joining Bank of America in 2005, Atwell led e-commerce and self-service technology initiatives, managed vendor relationships, and supported the bank's transformation efforts. He also mentored interns and young professionals and participated in community outreach to help students prepare for future careers.
If there's no technology in the bank, you don't have much of a bank.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 9 million people worked in the financial activities supersector in May 2024, which includes finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing. A 2024 report from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, "A Look at the Financial Services Industry," identifies banking, asset management, insurance, venture capital, and private equity as key subsectors. As the sector adapts to artificial intelligence, the future of jobs remains uncertain.
In a recent LinkedIn News interview, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan noted that technological change has always shaped the industry, even before the advent of artificial intelligence.
Despite past predictions that computers would eliminate management roles, Bank of America now employs 20,000 managers and serves 70 million customers. The bank is also the largest small business lender in the United States and invests over $13 billion annually in technology.
Around 2012, the bank focused on developing a mobile app with a banking-specific search engine. Early challenges led to the adoption of predictive modeling and artificial intelligence, resulting in an app that now serves 20 million users.
Moynihan emphasized the importance of accurate data, process understanding, and reliable outcomes, as customer trust depends on system accuracy. He also noted that new products and technologies often outpace customer demand, so it is essential to introduce innovations at a manageable pace while maintaining operational flexibility and controlling costs.
This initiative addresses the evolving needs of the finance industry, particularly as artificial intelligence transforms how students learn and how professionals work.
Robert Simon, executive director of the Master of Science in Computational Finance (MSCF) program, noted that the new Bachelor of Science/Master of Science option responds to rapid growth in financial technology and quantitative modeling, where demand for expertise in computational methods and market analytics continues to rise.
The program combines coursework with experiential learning to prepare graduates for roles in quantitative research, risk management, algorithmic trading, data science, and financial engineering.
Developed collaboratively by the College of Science, the School of Business, the School of Computer Science, and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, MSCF leverages Carnegie Mellon’s strengths in applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, and finance.