At first, it was just an idea, Stephen Tully ’98 confided to the audience at October’s 10th anniversary celebration of Bryant University’s Wall Street Council, which included nearly 50 Bryant students. And at its core, the idea was simple: Bryant Bulldogs are stronger in packs — and they look out for one another.
As Tully, head of U.S. institutions at Cantillon Capital Management LLC, looked out on the New York finance scene 10 years ago, he knew there were other Bryant alumni out there, but they were lost in the clamor of a crowded and bustling Wall Street.
He asked himself: What if they were united? What if they could do more together to support each other, their alma mater, and future generations of Bryant students than they ever could alone?
This idea led Tully to connect with Nicholas Bohnsack ’00, president of Strategas Securities, another alum in New York finance. Together, they formed an executive board with other Bryant alumni and, with the support of the university and faculty advisors, the council was established.
“I think this is one of the best opportunities at Bryant. It’s about bridging the gap between what we study and the real world and about making real face-to-face connections.”
Today, more than a decade later, the Wall Street Council has grown to more than 30 members: Bryant alumni and parents who work in financial services fields, both on and off Wall Street. They host regular events open to students and alumni, including the annual Financial Services Forum, and their philanthropic support helps to ensure that Bryant’s Finance and Financial Services programs are among the nation’s best.
But the true measures of the council’s success lie in its outcomes. Whether it be through mentoring, class visits, networking, or providing internships and job opportunities, the council has proved itself a force to be reckoned with.
“We are scrappy and nimble. Bryant isn’t some Ivy League institution, so it’s on all of us to come together,” said Tully, who has passed leadership of the council to Amanda Dunne ’07 and a new executive board but remains on as an advisory board member. “It’s about our strength as a group.”
Nicholas Decelles ’26 attended the anniversary as part of Bryant’s annual Walk Down Wall Street. At the reception, he networked with keynote speaker Mark Orsley ’97, a portfolio manager at BlueCrest Capital Management, and had an in-depth conversation about investing philosophy, risk, and what life is really like on Wall Street.
“I think this is one of the best opportunities at Bryant,” Decelles marveled. “It’s about bridging the gap between what we study and the real world and about making real face-to-face connections.”
