Finance, Regulation, and Policy With recent financial scandals and crises, an important question is whether the finance industry should be regulated and should undergo further policy reforms. Many scholars and policy experts contend that the current system is simply not designed to make policy choices on behalf of the public. In this course we will explore current financial innovations (e.g., mutual funds, hedge funds, securitizations, cryptocurrencies, just to name a few) and potential policy options in order to protect “Main Street” from “Wall Street”. Additionally, we will explore the manner in which modern finance has grown out of powerful theories, both mathematical and psychological.

From Shakespeare to Wall Street: Management and the Liberal Arts In this course, students will explore how a Liberal Arts education (e.g., critical thinking, ethical behavior, and society building) can serve to humanize business.  We will draw on various business case studies, videos, academic readings, and leverage wisdom from three Shakespearean works, Hamlet, King Lear, and The Merchant of Venice. We will then apply our newfound lessons to various business contexts (as Wall Street is a metaphor for business writ large) with the hopes of promoting human ethical conduct, corporate responsibility, environmental sustainability, and human equality. (Grove Nichols can be contacted at ggnichols2@gmail.com)  Grosvenor (Grove) Nichols graduated from Middlebury in 1971. He majored in English, played varsity hockey and tennis, and was a fraternity social chairman. He went on to get an MBA from Stanford and has had a career in banking and consulting, including starting a bank in Sacramento, California, and serving as its CEO for ten years. Grove is currently a ski instructor and tennis pro at Stratton Mountain.

Grove Nichols

Reviews and ratings for Grove Nichols at Middlebury College.Grove Nichols teaches Finance, Regulation, & Policy, Shakespeare to Wall Street and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Grove Nichols good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Great class for anyone interested in finance. It covers real-world applications and builds a strong foundation in how markets and firms operate. I highly recommend it. Every class is engaging, fun, and genuinely interesting.

My Shakespeare to Wall Street class was a unique blend of literature and economics that I thoroughly enjoyed. The course offered fascinating insights into how themes from Shakespeare’s works resonate in modern business, all thanks to an inspiring instructor who made each topic come alive.