The Finkes’ $1 million endowment provides invaluable resources for business students.
COMMERCE, TX, Sept. 23, 2024—Texas A&M University-Commerce hosted a special dedication ceremony on Thursday, September 12, to celebrate the renaming of two finance labs in the College of Business. The Nathan and June Finke Finance Labs are located on the university’s main campus and at A&M-Commerce at Dallas.
In 2023, Nathan and June Finke generously committed $1 million to support the finance labs and provide other invaluable resources for business students. The dedication was a heartfelt tribute to the couple’s enduring commitment to higher education and joyful spirit of giving. Faculty, staff, students and guests packed into the finance lab to share in the celebration. Special guests included June Finke, niece Ann Marie Roberts and nephew Craig Roberts, executive vice president of Guaranty Bank & Trust. Several other family members were also in attendance, many of whom are A&M-Commerce alumni.
A collaborative learning space
The Finke Finance Labs offer collaborative spaces where students can engage in hands-on learning as they prepare for their business careers. They enable students to achieve personal financial literacy and learn wealth management and investment strategies using cutting-edge tools.
The lab on the Commerce campus features 24 state-of-the-art computer stations, whiteboard workspaces, and a stock ticker broadcasting the latest stock market information. The Dallas finance lab offers similar amenities, ensuring students at both locations benefit equally from this incredible resource.
Enhanced education for business students
The Finkes’ gift will significantly enhance the educational experience for business students. It will support student scholarships as well as operations, programming and staffing in the finance labs.
FactSet data platform
A major highlight of the Finke’s gift is a subscription to FactSet, a powerful financial data platform. This resource allows students to access real-time global market data, research historical market data and manage investment portfolios.
Scott Wheeler, interim dean of the College of Business at A&M-Commerce, emphasized that students may access FactSet from their computers wherever they are, not just in the finance labs.
“It’s a very deep tool that is used by professional analysts in the real world,” he said.
Student-managed fund
Notably, the Finkes’ gift will also establish a student-managed investment fund. The fund will allow business students to make real investment decisions using FactSet data under faculty guidance.
“The student-managed fund will help differentiate our university and put us in a league with some of the biggest and best business schools where students actually manage real money so that they can grow it and turn it into something bigger and more beneficial for future students,” Wheeler said.
LinkedIn and social media labs
Other unique offerings in the finance labs will include LinkedIn labs where students can build their professional online presence, and social media labs to support student organizations. The labs will also host business classes and tutoring for business math.
A spirit of joyful giving
The Finke’s gift is not their first to A&M-Commerce. Over the years, they have established numerous endowments and scholarship programs, as well as The Lion Food Pantry. Through prudent long-term investing, they have assisted students with their financial needs and provided transformational educational opportunities.
At the dedication, Devin Girod, vice president for Philanthropy and Engagement at A&M-Commerce, emphasized that the Finkes’ joyful spirit of generosity has impacted thousands of students over the years.
“I rarely see people that embody the spirit of joyful and generous giving [as much] as June and Nathan,” Girod said.
Investing in others
Beyond philanthropy, the Finkes hope to inspire the next generation of leaders and givers. Wheeler emphasized that the skills students gain in the finance labs will empower them to follow in the Finkes’ footsteps of financial success and generosity.
“Nathan Finke’s favorite quote was ‘You work to make a living; you invest to make money,’ Wheeler said. “The Finke Finance Labs will further Nathan and June’s goals of teaching people how to make money so they can do good things with it. And that’s where I think their gift is going to have the greatest impact.”
Honoring the Finkes
Nathan, a 1970 Texas A&M University graduate, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance on a tennis scholarship and went on to build a successful career in institutional investment management. His career took him to prominent institutions such as First National Bank, Bank One, and U.S. Trust Company in Dallas. Sadly, Nathan passed away on November 29, 2023, just a day after his 76th birthday.
June graduated from East Texas State University (now A&M-Commerce) in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in English and History/Secondary Education. She later became a government bond trader at First National Bank in Dallas, where she met Nathan. They married in 1971 and shared a large extended family, including nine nieces and nephews and 20 great-nieces and nephews.
Nathan was an avid fisherman who enjoyed trips to Alaska and Canada. June loves spending time with family, traveling, reading and playing bridge. Nathan’s passing was a great loss, but his and June’s enduring legacy of supporting education will make a difference for future generations.
A lasting legacy
The Nathan and June Finke Finance Labs are more than just physical spaces. They represent the Finkes’ deep commitment to empowering students and making financial education more accessible. The Finkes’ transformative gift will enrich the lives of countless students, preparing them to invest in their futures with knowledge and confidence.
