The Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs Scholars in Quantitative Finance is an academic award dedicated to exceptional students entering their second year of the Wharton MBA program and majoring in Quantitative Finance. Ksenia Bobrik, WG’25, was chosen as one of 10 Jacobs Scholars for the 2024-2025 school year.
“In many ways, Ksenia’s experience as a Jacobs Scholar is what I had envisioned,” said Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs, G’79, GRW’86, co-founder of Jacobs Levy Equity Management. “My aim was to build a community of people invested in quantitative finance and create a ripple effect on a global scale. We are well on our way.”
In the following interview, Ksenia discusses her experience as a Wharton MBA candidate and Jacobs Scholar.
Looking back on your time at Wharton, what stands out to you about your experience as both an MBA student and a Jacobs Scholar?
My career has always blended quantitative and fundamental approaches to finance, markets, investing and business. Witnessing the broader transformation in the industry, from advances in computational power to the rise of generative AI, has been incredibly exciting. I find it genuinely inspiring to see quantitative methods integrated into decision-making, analysis, and everyday processes. The way math, data, and computer science now intertwine with business and markets is truly invigorating.
Being named a Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs Scholar was a deep honor. While MBAs are not always associated with technical depth, the opportunity to pursue the Quantitative Finance major and join the Jacobs Scholar program flipped that narrative for me. It added analytical rigor and created space to meaningfully explore how quantitative methods, data, and finance increasingly intersect in practice.
In complex fields, a deep understanding of how things work beneath the surface is not optional; it is essential for effective application. The broader MBA curriculum strengthens foundational business frameworks, strategic thinking, and fundamental analysis, while the Quantitative Finance major builds on that by fostering a rigorous understanding of quantitative methods — how they function and how best to use them.
What drew you to Quantitative Finance, and how did it shape your approach to the MBA?
Quantitative finance has been central to my path for most of my life. I started in math and computer science, writing my first program at seven and later winning at programming Olympiads. My machine learning research led to early publications on systematic trading strategies and brought me to the trading floor at Goldman Sachs. There, what had initially been just a dataset became alive and rich with meaning, which defined my interest in both fundamental and quantitative approaches going forward.
Over the next decade, I worked on both fundamental and quantitative mandates, including derivatives and strategic financing across FX, interest rates, equities, credit, and commodities. I also led BI and AI transformation initiatives for these lines of business. Pursuing the MBA with a Quantitative Finance major at Wharton gave me the space to deepen my technical expertise while staying grounded in fundamental principles.
In what ways has being a Jacobs Scholar influenced your goals or perspective on your career path?
The Jacobs Scholars Program broadened my view of applying quantitative methods in industry. Early on, I had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs and fellow scholars, learning about his path and the diverse ways quantitative research can be applied. It brought the spirit of the scholarship to life.
Quantitative research inside firms is often proprietary, so having a community at the intersection of academia and practice is invaluable. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Jacobs for creating this space — an intellectual hub within Wharton where students can engage deeply with the field.
As a Jacobs Scholar, I was able to attend the 2024 Frontiers in Quantitative Finance Conference hosted by the Jacobs Levy Equity Management Center for Quantitative Financial Research. One of the first speakers presented research on a trading strategy constructed using the ChatGPT API to produce a buy or sell decision using a piece of news as input. It had a genius simplicity once complete, while delivering an impressive Sharpe ratio — the inspiring elegance of well-thought-out insight. I also participated in events focused on large language models in finance and pursued research across investment, finance, and non-finance domains. Before Wharton, I led digital transformation projects including NLP and call transcript analysis, but the scale and accessibility of today’s tools feel like a true inflection point.
Being a Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs Scholar allowed me to be part of these cutting-edge conversations — not just observing, but actively engaging.
What guidance would you offer to future Jacobs Scholars and MBA candidates interested in quantitative finance?
Quantitative finance recruiting at the MBA level is still evolving. It is far less structured than traditional paths like banking or consulting, and the roles can vary widely. My best advice is to take full advantage of the flexibility: follow your curiosity, attend conferences, explore ideas that excite you, and have meaningful conversations with practitioners. Some of the most exciting opportunities do not even have official names yet, and the skill set you develop can be applied in many different areas.
Academically, the Jacobs Scholars Program and the Quantitative Finance major give you room to build strong foundations and work on practical projects across diverse disciplines. I am often asked for course recommendations, so here are a few examples. Financial Derivatives with Professor Cuoco is a powerful course for diving deep, it is both precise in theory and practical in skills. Data Science in Finance, taught by Professor Kogan, partners with industry data vendors and guides you through real research projects with industry-standard datasets. Investment Management with Professor Van Binsbergen explores portfolio optimization and offers a philosophical perspective on asset allocation. Connecting with Professor Roussanov, Quantitative Finance Faculty Advisor, gave me unique insight into industry developments.
One anecdote I share is that, having studied computer science in Russia, I am often asked if we truly learn to code on paper (we do, and it teaches us to write cleaner code). The good news is, you can try something similar at Wharton in the Python course by Professor Waterman!
Overall, the program offers a unique blend of rigorous theory, hands-on experience, and access to industry practitioners — empowering you to explore and build skills that are both deep and widely applicable. So, explore broadly, focus on what resonates with you, and make full use of the resources Wharton provides.
Visit the Jacobs Levy Center’s homepage.
Learn more about the Jacobs Scholars and the Quantitative Finance Major.