At FGI, we learn a great deal from the people closest to our programs. We recently spoke with Muhdee Nawab, an FGI college tutor who works directly with high school students, about what drew him to financial education, what he’s observed in the classroom, and how teaching investing has shaped his own thinking about the future.
About Muhdee
Muhdee Nawab is a senior at CUNY Lehman College studying finance and philosophy. He is passionate about equity research and currently serves as Co-Director of Portfolio Management, a specialized subdivision of Lehman’s Financial Learning Group (FLG) focused on markets and investment research. In this role, he leads instruction on equity research, market fundamentals, and the use of the Bloomberg Terminal.
Beyond campus, Muhdee is deeply engaged in his community. He has served as an FGI tutor and is the founder of a youth MMA gym within his local mosque.
FGI: What inspired you to get involved with FGI, and what drew you specifically to the role of tutor?
Muhdee: My desire to join FGI comes from wanting to enrich any community I’m part of. Going to school in the Bronx exposed me to the vastly different financial backgrounds people come from, and how much students in certain areas can benefit from financial education.
FGI: What has surprised you most about working with high school students in this program? Muhdee: What surprised me most is how much students can change in about eight weeks. Many students went from not knowing the basics of personal finance to understanding investment accounts, stocks, and bonds, and how to leverage this education in the future.
FGI: How has teaching financial literacy influenced the way you think about your own money and future?
Muhdee: Teaching financial literacy has encouraged me to practice what I preach by spending wisely and saving for the future, rather than spending for now. It’s very easy to spend recklessly in your 20s, and this work has helped me stay more intentional.
FGI: Looking back, what was the most rewarding part of being a tutor?
Muhdee: Seeing the students’ confidence when presenting their Capstone Projects was the most rewarding part of the entire program. Being able to witness that level of progress meant more to me than I can explain.
FGI: What does “owning your financial future” mean to you?
Muhdee: Owning your financial future means having the freedom to choose how you spend your time. Many people use most of their time fulfilling obligations, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, to me, owning your future means having enough financial flexibility to do what you want with your time. That can include spontaneous travel, starting a business, or investing time in your children or parents—things people often want to do but don’t always have the time for.
Reflections like these help illustrate the impact of hands-on financial education, not just for students, but for the tutors who guide them. Through shared learning, confidence-building, and real-world application, FGI’s work creates ripple effects that extend well beyond the classroom.
.png)
.png)
.png)
