JTC 26: ‘Hard Work, Honesty and Grit’

Andrew McDonough traveled nearly 1,000 miles from Palm Beach Gardens in southeast Florida to attend the University of Mississippi, drawn by what he saw as unmatched leadership opportunities and hands-on experiences. 

The decision has paid off.  

As he prepares to graduate in May, the finance major serves as president of the Rebel Student Investment Group, which he helped found. He is also in his second year as president of the Ole Miss Finance Club, where he has dramatically expanded student participation from 25 to more than 600. 

Students selected for the Rebel Student Investment Group manage real investment funds made possible by generous donors. McDonough also participated in the Tennessee Valley Authority Investment Challenge at Ole Miss with a $500,000 portfolio. 

“I worked really hard and had a great group of people around me,” McDonough said. “I think this is the best university for people who value hard work, honesty and grit, and who want real opportunities to develop leadership skills and get involved. 

"Other schools only offer a fraction of what Ole Miss provides.” 

Wrapping up his senior year, McDonough believes the Rebel Student Investment Group is built to last because it brings top finance students together in a collaborative, professional environment. 

“In 10 to 20 years, I hope I have the honor of being invited to come back and speak to this group,” he said. 

His academic experience has also included working in the university's new Trading and Analytics Laboratory and enrolling in the advanced investment analytics course in the School of Business Administration. McDonough completed three internships: one with Carrier Global Corp. in southeast Florida, a two-year internship with the university’s Office of Development and a third with the Boeing Co. 

That final internship led to a full-time job offer. After graduation, McDonough will move to Seattle to begin Boeing’s two-year finance rotational program. 

Through his leadership roles in campus organizations, McDonough has built a professional network with alumni and donors. He encourages other students to pursue similar connections as a pathway to internships and career opportunities.  

Fred Dewald, instructional assistant professor of finance and director of the Ole Miss Trading and Analytics Lab, has worked closely with McDonough and described him as one of the most dedicated students he has encountered. 

“In more than 15 years of teaching, I have rarely seen a more committed and self-motivated student,” Dewald said. “Andrew’s contributions exemplify the leadership and excellence that define the best of Ole Miss. He is truly one of a kind. We are lucky to have had him here. 

“Quite simply, the Rebel Student Investment Group would not exist without Andrew. His tireless efforts have elevated both it and the Finance Club, strengthening the broader finance network at Ole Miss." 

Dewald credits McDonough with spurring the Finance Club's membership growth of more than 2,000%. 

“Under his leadership, the club secured high-caliber guest speakers and successfully managed a student-led investment portfolio, providing valuable hands-on experience for members,” Dewald said.  

McDonough’s interest in investing began early. At 14, he started accompanying his mother to meetings with her wealth manager, an experience that sparked his curiosity and laid the groundwork for his academic pursuits. 

“It created a good foundational base for my time at Ole Miss,” he said.  

Danielle Ammeter, the business school's associate dean for undergraduate programs and instructional associate professor of management, pointed to McDonough as an example of what the program strives to produce. 

“Andrew represents the very best of what we hope our graduates become: sharp, thoughtful and genuinely committed to lifting others along the way,” Ammeter said. “Whether leading a growing Finance Club, engaging our Business Advisory Board or excelling in his work with Boeing, he brings professionalism and energy to everything he does. 

“We are incredibly proud of Andrew and have no doubt he will continue to succeed. I look forward to seeing him remain connected to the business school as a partner in preparing the next generation of students.” 

While McDonough will soon be nearly 2,500 miles away from Oxford, he said Ole Miss will always feel like home. 

“I love it here, and I love the people,” he said. “When I have my own family, this will probably be the first place we visit.” 

Reflecting on his journey, McDonough expressed gratitude to the community that shaped him. 

“I am blessed and humbled to have worked with such great professors and students,” he said. “Ole Miss has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.  

"I’m thankful to my parents and sister, Elena, who is also an Ole Miss student, for their support.” 

Top: Andrew McDonough, a finance senior from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, co-founded the Rebel Student Investment Group and expanded the Ole Miss Finance Club from 25 to more than 600 members before accepting a full-time offer with Boeing's finance rotational program in Seattle after graduation. Photo by Hunt Mercier/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services