Slippery Rock University receives $500,000 gift to launch Finney Finance Lab

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa., Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Slippery Rock University students in the Haverlack College of Business will soon gain hands-on experience with the same financial systems used on Wall Street, thanks to a $500,000 gift from alumni Joe and Pam Finney to establish the Finney Finance Lab. 

The lab will feature Bloomberg Terminal workstations, the industry standard for real-time financial data, analytics and trading. The addition will give SRU students direct access to the tools used by investment banks, asset managers and corporate finance teams worldwide. 

"Slippery Rock gave me everything, my career, my direction and my wife of 39 years," said Joe Finney '86, whose wife, Pam '86, is also an SRU alumnus. "This lab is our way of giving back and making sure the next generation of students walks into their first job interview ready to compete with anyone, from anywhere." 

Access to Bloomberg Terminals is typically limited to top-tier business programs, positioning SRU among a select group of regional universities offering this level of professional exposure. The lab will support coursework across finance, economics, accounting and business analytics, while also enabling students to earn Bloomberg Market Concepts certification and participate in global trading competitions. 

The investment further strengthens the Haverlack College of Business as a destination for students seeking career-ready, experiential learning. 

The gift comes at a time of strong institutional momentum for SRU. The University recently recorded its highest first-to-second-year retention rate in a decade at 86.4%, the best in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education in the last decade. SRU also reported its highest four-year graduation rate (58.3%) in 20 years. The Haverlack College of Business holds AACSB accreditation, placing it among fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide, and SRU continues to earn recognition from U.S. News & World Report for academic quality and student outcomes. 

"We are deeply grateful to Joe and Pam Finney for this extraordinary investment in our students and in the future of the Haverlack College of Business," said Prasad Vemala, dean of SRU's Haverlack College of Business. "The Finney Finance Lab will provide hands-on access to industry-standard tools, strengthen our commitment to career-ready education and help our students build the confidence, skills and experience needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive financial world."

"This gift is a powerful investment in our students and a clear signal of where SRU is headed," said SRU President Karen Riley. "The Finneys' generosity will create new opportunities for hands-on learning, strengthen our ability to recruit top students and further connect our graduates to careers in the global economy." 

Beyond classroom use, the Finney Finance Lab is expected to serve as a hub for student-led investment activities, faculty research and career development programming. The space will reinforce SRU's focus on experiential, career-ready education. 

The Finney Finance Lab, which will be located in the Eisenberg Classroom Room Building, is expected to open in fall 2026. It will provide students with a direct pathway from classroom learning to careers in finance. 

A native of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and Tampa, Florida, resident, Joe Finney is the CEO of T3 Services Group. He has led companies in services, retail, and distribution across a 40-year career as a business executive.

More information about the Haverlack College of Business is available on the University's webpage.

SOURCE Slippery Rock University