Jenny Gyurova Hite ’21
Program: DBA in finance
Year of Graduation: 2021
Hometown: Razgrad, Bulgaria (currently living in Huntsville, Alabama)
Graduate SHUdent Spotlight: Why Jenny Gyurova Hite Earned a DBA
An alum shares how SHU’s Doctor of Business Administration in finance program helped her align her personal and professional goals
The field of finance is a diverse one, ranging from the management of money to forecasting trends and risk and many other avenues in between. Financial professionals can pursue career paths across industries and businesses, including banking, investment services, risk management, executive leadership, financial analysis and academia. They may seek to make an impact through research or teaching roles.
Still others look to solve some of the complex problems and challenges of today by using their financial expertise. At Sacred Heart University, the three-year, low residency Doctor of Business Administration in finance program provides students with opportunities to pursue specialized projects and research that align with their career and personal aspirations. For Jenny Gyurova Hite ’21, the DBA in finance program proved to be the catalyst that sparked her interest in sustainable investment and the ways she could advise others on principled and responsible investing—an approach to investment that looks at financial considerations as well as commitment to factors such as environmental sustainability and social equity. The program also prepared her to realize her longtime hope—to teach others about finance.
Jenny Gyurova Hite is a full-time partner at Madison Street Wealth Advisors of Raymond James, a wealth management firm in Huntsville, Alabama. She also has taught finance part time at the college level, including Sacred Heart, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and (online) for a technical university in Bulgaria. Here, she talks about how SHU’s DBA in finance program helped her to pursue her professional goals.
What drew you to work in finance?
I was looking for the antidote to poverty and was fascinated by the many paths within finance. I started my career with a college internship at Merrill Lynch. I then worked in the insurance and banking industries before transitioning into full-time financial advising and wealth management.
Why did you pursue a DBA in finance at Sacred Heart?
I wanted to deepen my knowledge about financial modeling and meet like-minded people. I also believed this program would prepare me to pursue part-time teaching opportunities at the college level, where I would share my practical experience.
In what ways has this program enhanced your career?
Having a DBA in finance is a credibility booster among colleagues and clients. It also helps to distinguish me from other financial advisers. The program has brought forward many career opportunities and allowed me to enjoy part-time teaching at the college level.
How has the program elevated your professional expertise in addressing real-world needs and challenges? Can you share some examples?
The program has been a catalyst in sparking my interest in sustainable investment. This is a serious global challenge and one for which the United Nations has created multiple sustainable development goals to achieve by 2030. They are intended to foster peace and prosperity for people and the planet. My dissertation addressed the relationship between sustainability and meaningful returns in U.S.-based companies. I’ve brought the knowledge I gained back to our practice, and it is a part of the investment processes we apply when we build investment models for our clients.
What resources at SHU helped you to balance work and your pursuit of a degree?
The best resources were my colleagues in my cohort. They have become lifelong friends. We formed study groups and leaned on each other’s strengths as we learned complex new concepts and modeling software.
What did you like best about the program?
The flexibility. I could study remotely and still attend in-person lectures. I looked forward to commuting from Alabama to Connecticut once a month. The in-person interactions with colleagues and the opportunities to get to know brilliant minds, such as Lucjan Orlowski (director of SHU’s DBA in finance program) Keener Hughen and Loran Chollete, was intellectually inspiring.
Who could benefit from pursuing a DBA in finance?
Excellent candidates are mid-career professionals who want to expand their knowledge and fortify their practical experience. This degree may be the best way to reignite your intellectual curiosity and challenge yourself while making lifelong friends.
Sacred Heart University is no longer accepting applications to the DBA program as of fall 2025. Visit the MS in Finance & Investment Management or MBA programs for a similarly innovative, forward-thinking business education.
Want to hear more from SHU? Subscribe to our newsletters to get the latest updates delivered right to your inbox.