Prestigious Scholarship Supports Finance and Tech Futures

In college, hard work often shows up in grades, projects or internships. For two Stevens students, their dedication led to life-changing scholarships.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Trust, a leading derivatives marketplace and early supporter of Steven’s Hanlon Financial Systems Center’s SHiFT project, established the CME Group Foundation to empower future generations through education and opportunities, equipping today’s students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. More than $4.3 million in scholarships have been awarded to 123 students majoring in finance, technology and related fields since 2019. Recipients receive up to $20,000 in scholarships, which are renewable for three years.

This year, quantitative finance major Muskaan Thapar and computer science major Melise Sever received scholarships, marking the third consecutive year Stevens students have been selected.

Blending Finance and Technology

Muskaan Thapar has always been drawn to two things, working with numbers and understanding how money moves through the world. When it came time to choose a university, she looked for a program that combined those passions. The Stevens School of Business stood out for its technology-driven curriculum, deep integration of innovation, and proximity to New York City, the global hub of finance.

“The finance industry is constantly evolving with advancements redefining how markets operate,” Muskaan said. “I wanted to be somewhere that didn’t just teach today’s skills but prepared me to anticipate and adapt to tomorrow’s changes. Stevens offered both the environment to grow personally and the platform to stay at the forefront of technology. That combination made me confident it was the right place for me.”

Choosing Quantitative Finance

Recognizing how technology continues to transform the financial world, Muskaan gravitated toward quantitative finance, a discipline that blends math, statistics, and programming to study financial markets at a deeper level. For her, it’s not about guessing where a stock might go, it’s about using data and models to uncover the “why” behind market movements. In a world where technology is changing finance every day, she wanted a major that was both intellectually challenging and directly connected to real-world change. Quantitative finance gave her the tools to stay ahead of that change and prepare for a career where decisions are driven by insight, not intuition.

“In my Pricing and Hedging course, I applied models like Black-Scholes to value derivatives, bridging the gap between theory and application,” she said. “In my machine learning class, I built programs to analyze market data and surface patterns that could inform decisions. These experiences showed me how powerful it is when theory and technology come together.”

From Classroom to Career

That foundation, combined with her leadership roles at Stevens, prepared Muskaan to contribute meaningfully as a Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in Manhattan.

“Goldman was my first internship, and while many of my peers had prior experience, I still walked in ready,” she reflected. “The projects I tackled at Stevens mirrored the work I encountered in the real world. My leadership experience as President of Phi Beta Lambda (Honors Business Fraternity) taught me how to communicate clearly, collaborate across teams and take initiative, all of which helped me throughout the internship.”

A Scholarship Milestone

Muskaan applied because of her deep interest in markets. “CME plays a vital role in the global financial system, and I saw the scholarship as a way to connect more closely with that world while pushing myself to grow,” she said. Winning this scholarship meant more than funding her education, it was a milestone that reminded her why she keeps striving forward, and why she wants to give back to others on a similar path.

“I’ll never forget that moment,” she said. “I had just left my managing director’s office when I checked my phone and saw an email from CME. The subject line didn’t say ‘congratulations,’ so I didn’t get my hopes up. When I opened it and read the first line congratulating me, I froze. I went straight to a conference room, sat down, and FaceTimed my mom. The moment she picked up and I told her, I could see the pride in her eyes. It was proof that every late night, sacrifice, and challenge was worth it.”

Reimagining Problem-Solving

While Melise Sever was visiting Hoboken with her mom and taking in the panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline, the Stevens Institute of Technology’s campus, overlooking the Hudson River, gave Melise the feeling that the best was yet to come.

“I was telling my mom how I wanted to come here [to Stevens],” she recalls. “The location is beautiful, and its proximity to the city made it stand out. When I got home that day, I did my research. When I found out it was a STEM-based institution, I knew this would be the right choice for me.”

Combining Passions

Steven’s STEM designation was especially important for Melise, who grew up with a passion for math and problem solving. Stevens’ computer science program, which combines the rigorous development of problem-solving skills and theoretical foundations with hands-on programming experience and project management skills, strongly aligned with those interests.

She credits her classes for honing her critical-thinking skills. “The most important thing I’ve learned is how to think analytically when it comes to problem solving,” says Melise. “Initially, when I saw a problem, I jumped straight to a solution. But then I realized if I spent more time diagnosing that problem, I can find many ways to approach that same solution.”

Connections Beyond the Classroom

Now in her second year, Melise has benefited from participating in different student organizations that have helped her meet new people and form stronger bonds across campus. “I’m in Stevens Women in Computer Science and the Pinnacle Scholars program as a Pinnacle peer advisor. I feel like being involved in these groups helped me connect with a lot more people on this campus.”

It was one of those connections who played a vital role in Melise’s journey to receiving the CME scholarship, which she almost didn’t apply for. “At first, I was skeptical because the scholarship seemed too good to be true, but I had my friend Aylin, who received the scholarship last year, always by my side. She encouraged me to apply and was there with me throughout the process. I quickly realized that I would harm myself more if I didn’t apply.”

Life-Changing Moment

Melise was at home when she learned of her acceptance. “When I received the email congratulating me, I got really emotional and started crying. My dad came into my room, and he thought something bad happened, but when I flipped the phone to show him the screen, he embraced me and told me how proud he was of me.”

“This was an incredibly meaningful moment for both me and my family because I feel like it was a true testament of all the hard work I put into my studies,” she continued. “Receiving it opens a lot of doors for me because now I don’t have to just focus on finances and education. I can finally sit back and take the time I need to perfect my studies.”