Buffalo, NY - The Richard J. Wehle School of Business proudly hosted the National Academy of Finance (NAF) high school student conference on March 2, welcoming 210 students from seven local high schools to campus for a morning of hands-on learning and career exploration.
Students representing academies from Clarence, Depew, Hamburg, Lakeshore, Orchard Park, West Seneca and Wilson participated in three interactive sessions of their choice, exploring topics in finance, analytics, marketing, entrepreneurship and healthcare.
Session offerings included:
- Building and Maximizing Personal Branding
- Basic Finance
- What Netflix, Spotify, and Your Phone Have in Common
- How to Turn a Great Idea into a Big Business
- Playing by the Numbers: Analytics in Sports
- Using Sports to Understand Marketing Impressions & Valuation
- Healthcare Career Pathways
- Personal Investing
- Breaking the Accounting Stereotype – Where a Degree in Accounting Can Take You
Sessions were led by faculty and presenters from Canisius University and Bryant & Stratton College, giving students direct exposure to college-level instruction and real-world industry insight.
The conference reflects the mission of NAF, a national nonprofit network of education, business and community leaders working to ensure high school students are college-, career- and future-ready. Through career-focused curricula, work-based learning experiences and partnerships with industry professionals, NAF academies help students connect classroom learning to meaningful career pathways.
In Western New York, 14 NAF academies operate across 13 school districts, preparing students for careers in finance, hospitality and tourism, information technology, engineering and health sciences.
By hosting the conference, the Wehle Business School strengthened its partnership with regional school districts and reaffirmed its commitment to developing the next generation of ethical, career-ready business leaders. Accredited by AACSB International—the premier accrediting agency for business programs worldwide—the Wehle School has been accredited longer than any other private business school in Western New York.
Nationally ranked in accounting and finance by U.S. News & World Report, the Wehle School emphasizes immersive, experience-based learning rooted in Jesuit values and strong partnerships with the Western New York business community. Undergraduate programs include accounting, accounting systems & analytics, economics, finance, management and marketing, along with flexible MBA options designed to meet the needs of today’s professionals.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
