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William Paterson University Student Peter Blehl Wins TD Ameritrade Scholarship and Helps Ring NYSE Closing Bell

Peter Blehl, a student majoring in financial planning in William Paterson University’s Cotsakos College of Business, received a $5,000 TD Ameritrade Institution NextGen Scholarship to be applied toward his degree.

Peter Blehl (far left), with other scholarship winners at New York Stock Exchange

Blehl and nine other students from across the country were invited to New York City on July 21, 2014 as guests of TD Ameritrade Institutional for a visit to Wall Street. The group walked the famed trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange and rang the closing bell to raise awareness of the career opportunities in financial planning. 

Blehl is also featured in an article in Investment News, “Biting the Tech Bullet.”

TD Ameritrade, one of the leading custodians for financial planners, teamed with the industry group NextGen to sponsor the award. NextGen is comprised of Financial Planning Association members who are industry leaders under the age of 35. The scholarship is designed to encourage talented college students to enter the financial planning profession, which is expected to grow 32 percent by 2020, more than double the rate for all other occupations. 

Since 2010, students from the University’s financial planning program have garnered top awards in national competitions. In 2013, three William Paterson financial planning majors won the TD Ameritrade Institution NextGen Scholarships.