Alumnus Ric Edelman sponsors students to attend Museum of American Finance gala

Rowan University alumnus and financial services leader Ric Edelman sponsored 13 Rohrer College of Business students to attend a March 6 gala to support the Museum of American Finance (MoAF) in New York City.

The gala, at the renowned Ziegfeld Ballroom in midtown Manhattan, honored three leaders from business and government whose work contributed to the financial wellbeing of markets domestically and abroad. The gala’s 2025 honorees included former U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Richard A. Gephardt; Peter S. Lynch, vice chairman of Fidelity Management and Research; and the late Arthur D. Cashin, Jr., who served as director of Floor Operations for UBS Financial Services at the New York Stock Exchange.

Senior finance and accounting major Tyler Burke described the experience, in which he met Edelman and Lynch, as inspirational and reaffirming as he soon enters the world of business.

“It was inspiring to see how much of an impact people can have,” Burke said.

Ahead of Commencement, Burke has landed a position with audit consultancy Grant Thornton in Philadelphia.

As a student of finance, he sees a great variety of career options available to him.

“You can be a financial adviser, an investment banker, work in insurance, private equity, venture capital, you name it,” he said.

Accompanied by RCB Dean Matthew Sarkees and Assistant Professor Richard Ogden, the students also toured the New York offices of French banking group Crédit Agricole to learn about the firm’s lines of business.

“Attending the Museum of American Finance gala provided an invaluable learning experience for our students,” Sarkees said. “They had direct exposure to finance industry leaders, an opportunity to network, and, importantly, witness philanthropy and corporate social responsibility in action. We are grateful to Ric for recognizing the magnitude of the moment for our students. He and Jean continue to leave an indelible mark on Rowan.”

Edelman, who in 2024 became a trustee of the MoAF, founded, along with his wife Jean, Edelman Financial Engines. According to his bio on the MoAF site, the company today is the nation’s largest financial planning firm, managing $300 billion for 1.4 million families across the United States.

He was ranked three times as the nation’s #1 Independent Financial Advisor by Barron’s, is in two industry Halls of Fame, holds two patents for financial product innovation, and is a #1 New York Times bestselling author on personal finance.

Ric ’80 and Jean Edelman ’81 are among Rowan’s greatest financial supporters. In addition to generously donating $25 million to develop the Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University, the couple have given to numerous causes across campus to help support generations of Rowan students succeed in college and pursue rewarding careers.