Davidson to McIntire: Andrew Schou Builds Finance Leadership in the M.S. in Commerce

Andrew Schou (M.S. in Commerce ’26) arrived at McIntire with a strong academic foundation, a competitive athletic mindset, and a clear sense of where he wanted to take his future career. The former Division I swimmer from Davidson College found in McIntire’s M.S. in Commerce Program a rigorous, applied business education that felt less like a departure from his undergraduate experience and more like its natural next step.

Originally from Tucson, AZ, and eager for a new environment, Schou was recruited to swim at the small liberal arts college in North Carolina. “I took the chance to move all the way to the East Coast, which was a big change,” he says. “My parents always encouraged us to leave home to mature.” At Davidson, he majored in Political Science and initially planned to pursue a career in politics.

That plan began to shift during a sophomore summer internship in the Phoenix mayor’s office. Schou explains that the experience wasn’t what he expected, and the political aspects of the role didn’t appeal to him like he thought it would. “What stood out to me more was the business side, like financing, negotiations, and consulting,” he says. The experience lingered as he returned to campus, and by junior year, his focus had begun to change.

How a Liberal Arts Education Sparked a Business Pivot

At Davidson, he leaned into economics, statistics, and accounting courses while continuing to explore the humanities. “Davidson taught me critical thinking and how to consider different perspectives,” he says. “I took classes in psychology, philosophy, art, and other disciplines. That exposure helps in business, especially in leadership roles.”

Quantitative coursework stood out in particular. “I took a Research Methods and Statistics class, where I ran regression models, including a project on the Winter Olympics,” Schou says. “Those skills directly translated to what I’m doing now [at McIntire].” An accounting course also helped solidify his interest, along with years of exposure to his father’s small manufacturing business. “I grew up around it,” he says. “Working there made business make sense to me in a way politics or law didn’t.”

At the same time, Schou was reconsidering his athletic future after narrowly missing qualification for the Olympic Trials. “That forced me to reevaluate what I wanted to do,” he says. “That’s ultimately what led me to UVA.”

Why the M.S. in Commerce Felt Like a Seamless Next Step

When Schou connected with a McIntire recruiter, the M.S. in Commerce quickly jumped out as having the right fit. “I was basically the ideal candidate for the program,” he says. “I came from a liberal arts college with no business major, and I wanted a career pivot.” The appeal was practical. “To get higher-level finance roles, you need hard skills like DCF [discounted cash flow] valuation, financial modeling, and deep accounting knowledge, which I didn’t have. This program provides that foundation quickly.”

Balancing recruiting alongside coursework required discipline, as the pace was demanding, but his background helped. “Our first semester was over 20 credit hours,” Schou says. “Coming from Davidson as a student-athlete prepared me well. I was used to full schedules and planning my days carefully.”

Academically, McIntire felt familiar. Now in the program’s Finance Track, he notes, “I was worried about class size, but it’s very similar to Davidson. Most classes are small, and once we’re in our tracks, it really feels like a liberal arts environment.” Faculty accessibility reinforced that sense of continuity. “Professors are happy to meet, talk about careers, and respond quickly,” he says.

That preparation paid off during recruiting. “During my final interview at BAE Systems, we had to complete a detailed case study,” Schou says. “It felt exactly like what we did in Corporate Valuation and Financing. That preparation made a huge difference.” This summer, he’ll join BAE Systems’ Financial Leadership Development Program, a three-year rotational role designed to develop future leaders.

Reflecting on the experience, Schou offers clear advice to students from smaller liberal arts colleges. “If you want to pivot into business, this program gives you a top-tier education in a short time and plugs you into an incredible network,” he says. “It’s absolutely worth the year.”