Rich Kasmin Joins BFI Club and Advanced Studies Economics Class as Guest Speaker

On April 3, Rich Kasmin P '21, '24, '28 joined Ricky Kamil's P '15 BFI (Business, Finance, and Investment) Club and Advanced Studies Economics class as a guest speaker, bringing real-world insights into the complexities of investing and market dynamics.

 

Speaking to the BFI Club, Kasmin emphasized a fundamental truth: the future is always uncertain. Because we can’t predict what lies ahead, investors expect to be rewarded for taking risks. But what happens when it’s not just the future that’s uncertain, but the very rules of the game? Whether committing time to a class project or deciding how much capital to invest, uncertainty can discourage participation. Stability fuels confidence, and confidence is the foundation of a thriving economy.

 

In the Advanced Studies Economics class, theory met reality. Instead of just studying supply and demand in textbooks, students engaged in a hands-on experiment that demonstrated how buyers and sellers interact to determine equilibrium prices. The key takeaway? Markets aren’t just abstract models—they’re shaped by real human behavior, incentives, and competition.

Kasmin’s visit provided students with a deeper understanding of how both certainty and market forces influence financial and economic decisions, leaving them with valuable lessons that extend far beyond the classroom.