During his undergraduate studies, Brian Gaydos, MS Finance ’25, took several finance classes that piqued his interest and led him to consider beginning a finance graduate program immediately after graduating.
After learning about the faculty’s academic research and industry experience, as well as the campus’s location and the program’s convenience, his decision was sealed, and he enrolled in the program at the at 91.
“George Mason has a great recruiting base. I think that attending these networking events is something that really helped kickstart my career.”
— Brian Gaydos, MS Finance ’25
In the hybrid program, Gaydos made sure to attend in person almost every time, taking two classes at a time each eight-week semester. He found the faculty exceeded his expectations, especially in the courses taught by , instructional assistant professor of finance, and , instructional professor of finance.
Gaydos took Statistical and Quantitative Methods for Finance, as well as Managerial Economics and Decisions of the Firm, with Requeijo. In Quantitative Methods, he developed a strong foundation in applying statistical and quantitative techniques to financial data, strengthening his ability to analyze trends and make data-driven decisions using Python. Through Managerial Economics, he gained a deeper understanding of how firms approach pricing, cost structures, and strategic decision-making in competitive markets. Together, these classes played a key role in shaping his ability to approach financial and business problems with both analytical rigor and a strategic perspective.
Gaydos was also particularly impacted by classes and mentorship from Horstmeyer. In the course, students actively manage a real investment portfolio, conduct equity research, and present investment recommendations. Through this experience, Gaydos gained hands-on exposure to portfolio construction, valuation, and risk analysis while developing the ability to communicate and defend investment ideas in a professional setting. The course emphasized real-world application, requiring students to collaborate on investment decisions and engage with financial tools and market data. Gaydos also completed research assistant work for Horstmeyer, which was published in .
While enrolled at Costello, Gaydos gained another perspective on the material he was studying and researching as a teaching assistant for two 400-level finance courses. “When you’re on the side where you’re explaining and teaching concepts to other people, it really reinforces your own learning. As you answer questions, it makes you think deeply about the material,” he says.
Among Gaydos’s favorite experiences at Costello was the Costello Fellows on Wall Street trip to New York City, where he visited several firms and networked with local alumni. He took advantage of many other opportunities including joining the and competing in the CFA Research Challenge. In addition to these extracurricular experiences, Gaydos attended networking events, like the Meet the Firms on-campus event, where he made a connection that led to landing a financial analyst role shortly after graduating. “George Mason has a great recruiting base,” he says. “I think that attending these networking events is something that really helped kickstart my career.”
Currently, Gaydos is a financial analyst at Brookfield Residential, a leading North American land developer and homebuilder for more than 65 years. His chief responsibilities revolve around conducting competitive analyses for single-family housing communities across the Northeast, performing variance analyses, and supporting quarterly financial reporting.
“It’s interesting to be able to see inside the business and to plan ahead strategically,” he says. Financial modeling skills that he developed in his corporate finance class, such as forecasting and valuation, have become integral to his role.
By taking advantage of experiential learning opportunities, student organizations, research roles, and networking events, Brian Gaydos forged connections and deepened his understanding of finance, ensuring that his education was not limited to the classroom. He is particularly interested in exploring fields such as investment banking, private equity, and corporate strategy, where he can apply his financial modeling and analytical skills to evaluate investments, drive strategic decisions, and create long-term value. As he continues his professional journey, Gaydos remains confident that the strong foundation he built at Costello will continue to support his career success.