While studying for his undergraduate degree in finance at Kansas State University, Nathan Mauck realized what he wanted to do with his life.

"It became clear to me throughout my time as an undergraduate that a Ph.D. in finance, and the career path of research, teaching and service that accompanies that degree, was an ideal path for me," Mauck said.

With his next move plotted, Mauck turned his attention to what institution would best equip him for his goal. A lifelong Midwesterner, staying close to home would have been an obvious choice, but Mauck was willing to go wherever the best opportunities were.

"Location was less of an issue than feeling comfortable that I was choosing a school in which I could best reach my goals."

Florida State University's College of Business became the top choice for Mauck after meeting with faculty members at K-State who received their Ph.D.'s in finance from FSU.

"It became apparent that Florida State was a place where I would have access to world-class resources and faculty. It seemed like a great fit in terms of opportunity and the quality of the people I would be surrounded with."

Mauck and his wife, Kelsey, have made FSU their home. Having just completed his first year of coursework, Mauck is already excelling. Mauck was selected from among his peers to receive a Presidential University Fellowship, an award given to new Ph.D. students.

Research has also played a major role in Mauck's first year. He and two faculty members began investigating the effects of Sovereign Wealth Fund investment domestically and internationally.

"Recently, there has been controversy in the financial press regarding investment by these government-owned investment funds. The concern is whether or not these funds are only interested in profits, i.e. since they are owned by foreign governments, do they have political motivations." Mauck and two faculty members are working on a paper that delves into whether or not these funds could be potentially destabilizing to firms and markets.

"I'm really excited about the opportunity to learn so much throughout the research process and to work directly with the experienced faculty on such a critical topic," says Mauck. "My experiences at FSU are already giving me the opportunity to achieve my goals."