Born and raised in central Iowa, Mike Cox, '03 MBA, is rooted in the Midwest. He was attracted to the Carlson School of Management because of the hands-on educational opportunities and the Midwestern location. Cox was specifically interested in the Carlson School Growth Fund, which is part of the Carlson Funds Enterprise program.

The Carlson Funds Enterprise, now almost a decade mature, is tailored for students with a career interest in investment management, corporate finance, or investment banking. Students manage the fund through analysis of securities, trading, compliance, marketing, and client reporting.

After becoming more involved with the Funds Enterprise as an MBA student, Cox realized it was not just the hands-on learning that made the program great. He found the faculty advisors were also excellent in bringing together academic and practical knowledge of stock selection, evaluation, and portfolio management. Their mentoring challenged and prepared him for a great career. Because Cox saw how beneficial the mentoring could be for students, he committed to returning to the Funds Enterprise as a mentor after gaining enough work experience to offer advice. "I felt there was a way I could help out," he said.

After receiving his MBA, Cox parlayed his growth fund experience into a job at Piper Jaffray as a junior analyst following hard-line retailers. He was then promoted to senior analyst and hired an associate to work for him. By early 2007, Cox changed industries and began following smaller, relatively under-followed industrial growth companies.

Cox returned to the Funds Enterprise as a mentor in 2006. Over the past year and a half, he has thoroughly enjoyed the experience and is now mentoring his second student. "It's great to help current students realize their career goals just as the program has helped me with mine."