New at Hurst

Tori Altsman, Contributing writer

Mercyhurst is excited to welcome Mahtab Athari, Ph.D., to the Finance department.

Athari is an assistant professor of Finance who holds a Ph.D. in Financial Economics from the University of New Orleans. She also holds degrees in Finance and Business Economics from New Orleans. She currently is pursuing her CFA designation.

Before coming to Mercyhurst, she taught Corporate Finance, Investments and Financial Markets and Institutions at both the graduate and undergraduate level at Cleveland State University, University of Toledo and University of New Orleans.

She also has over seven years of work experience in the financial sector, in an Enforcement Division of an SEC company and as a Senior Market Analyst in an insurance company.
Her research interests also include mutual funds, forecasting equity returns and socially responsible investing.

Athari is extremely passionate about informing her students of the importance of finance knowledge. She believes that healthy finances and healthy lives go hand in hand, and that every student should have knowledge about managing their finances responsibly.

She hopes to share her knowledge of business so that her students can go into life knowing how to make sound financial and investment decisions. Moreover, Athari hopes all of her students graduate with enough knowledge to be successful in the job market.

This semester, Athari is teaching Financial Management, Investments and Financial Markets and Institutions.

Athari is overjoyed to work in such a positive environment at Mercyhurst. She believes that supportive coworkers are essential in making the workplace a positive place, and that is what drew her to Mercyhurst.

She is also ecstatic about her students’ eagerness to learn and willingness to challenge themselves in her classes.

She said she made the correct choice in choosing Mercyhurst because she believes the campus is beautiful and many of her interests align with Erie’s infamous cold weather.
She loves to cross country ski and figure skate and also enjoys playing piano, dancing and watching documentaries.

Her office is in Preston 302, and you can contact her at mathari@mercyhurst.edu.