Business Studies Program Introduces Fundamental Business Concepts

The good news: student teams in Thayer Academy’s Stock Market Simulator Series each received $1 million dollars in capital to invest as they saw fit. 

The bad news: the funds are … well … not exactly real. 

But while their investment portfolios may be imaginary, the lessons learned by students in the business co-curricular are quite real and ably taught by Scholar-in-Residence Derek Hayden P ’15, ’18, a career investment professional whose low-key confidence permeated the co-curricular’s well-attended first meeting, essentially an introduction to the Thayer Investment Club. 

“We’re going to take calculated risks, and we’re going to have fun doing it,” said Hayden as he walked students through the fundamentals of investing, defined some essential stock market terms (including what a “stock” actually is), and explained the risk/reward nature of the enterprise. 

And Hayden’s co-curricular, which is optional and meets every other Thursday during lunch periods, is but one part of Thayer’s burgeoning Business Studies Program under the direction of Upper School Business Faculty Jamie Johnston. Along with a second co-curricular, the Financial Literacy Series, the program this year offers three business courses: Business Leadership Fundamentals, Finance & Accounting Essentials, and Business of Sports & Entertainment. 

“It’s going quite well,” said Johnston of the overall program. “There’s a high level of student interest, and we have a number of guest speakers planned.” 

The goals of the Business Studies Program are varied, said Johnston, but the overarching goal is to introduce fundamental business theories and concepts along with real-world case studies and real-world insights. Tangible examples of such success include email etiquette, presentation skills, fluency with spreadsheets, effective writing skills, and productive collaboration with peers. 

“Another goal is to prepare Thayer students for university-level business courses in the near future,” Johnston added. 

In his introduction to the stock simulation club, Hayden emphasized that investing is, indeed, hard work but well within students’ capabilities if they dive right in and do things together. 

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that everyone in this room can teach me something,” Hayden told the roughly two dozen students. 

At one point Hayden and the class weighed the pros and cons of a Canadian clothing company and discussed whether to be bearish or bullish on that particular stock. That company, Hayden informed students, came to his attention because his daughter, also an investment professional, shops at the retailer and, after initial research, liked what she saw. 

“I rarely come up with my own ideas,” Hayden said. “You read, you listen, and you observe.” 

On that note, Hayden provided students with several websites dedicated to financial news and urged them to spend five to 10 minutes per day getting up to speed on the daily activity of the markets. 

“You’ll be surprised how much more you’ll know by Christmas,” he promised. 

One student in attendance that day was Luke Mazzocco ’27, who said he has participated in Thayer’s various business offerings since he was in ninth grade. In fact, Mazzocco made his own presentation on the programs during the 27th annual General’s Council Reception in December of 2024. 

“There’s a lot of opportunity that comes from this,” said Mazzocco. “The people who teach these courses have so much to offer. There’s really no downside.”