The CU Denver Business School held its first NYC Finance Career Trek the week of April 4th. Four graduate students, and ten undergraduate students attended the New York trip with Yosef Bonaparte, Assistant Professor, Finance; Stephanie Egan, Career Advisor, and Sue Wyman, Director, Business Career Connections. The group visited Bloomberg, Perella Weinberg Partners, the Federal Reserve, AlphaSights, Transactis, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, ff Venture Capital, and TIAA.
“All of the companies were very generous with their time and we were lucky to meet with over 30 representatives from the nine organizations. Two founders from Perella Weinberg Partners and Transactis gave us valuable presentations about their careers and about starting their companies.” said, Professor Bonaparte.
“I was so impressed with the students! They were polished and had clearly done their homework about our company.” said Sloan Danenhower, Client Development and (prior) Private Equity Manager, of AlphaSights.
The group was able to tour three trading floors in addition to executive presentations and panel discussions. Beyond learning about the New York finance industry, students were able to hear first-hand about hiring processes and how to effectively network to land great jobs in New York and Colorado. Networking was stressed as a key component of the job search process. Five of the nine firms have Colorado offices.
The trip was organized by Stephanie Egan and Christina Conger with participation from multiple Business School faculty, staff, Advisory Board members, and students. Egan, a previous New York resident, led the group from Wall Street to Hell’s Kitchen via subways, taxis, and tens of thousands of Fitbit steps.
“Having worked in New York early in my career, I know how impactful it can be professionally. We set a very high bar in terms of our professional expectations and the students exceeded those at every turn.” said Egan.
Portfolio Management Group president, Keegan Parker said “Hands down one of the most spectacular highlights of my college career. It’s one thing to learn about a top-tier trading floor, but it’s a whole other ball game to see it in person and to shake hands with executives who run it.”
Business Career Connections helped prepare the students for the trip with one-on-one resume sessions and multiple trek preparation workshops. Student ambassadors were assigned to each organization for company research, introductions, question preparation, and gift presentation.
“The relationships that are formed on trips like this are invaluable. Not just the ones with potential employers, but also those between students. You get to know each other pretty well on trips like this, and those relationships can last an entire business career.” said Wyman.
Additional Student Quotes
Kaycee Villanueba
“Being a part of the New York career trek introduced me to the many possibilities in the business world. Finance is an art and each other these firms produce different types of art. Stepping foot into these firms illustrated the various mediums and having that knowledge beforehand is an advantage as to where I see myself wanting to apply. Gaining the experience of traveling to a new city with the knowledge of these companies and given the opportunity to network is what made this worth it. Any chance at networking and meeting these people in person gives me the confidence to reach out to so many companies.”
Joe Marucci
“I was ecstatic prior to the trip, but it blew all of my expectations out of the water.
The trip was extremely enlightening in regards to a career in the financial industry, especially investment services. We received insight from a great variety of individuals, and their perspectives carried meaning because they were either performing a job we aspire to obtain, or they had sometime in the past.
The variety of companies we visited was one of the most positive aspects of the trip. The Big Banks showed us what pioneers of the financial services industry have been doing to remain at the top. Seeing their trading floors was incredible because it was nothing like one would expect, especially since transactions are virtually all electronic nowadays.
The startup companies (AlphaSights and Transactis) were also eye-opening. Each company’s culture and unique way of business contribute to their expanding success. It demonstrated that without stellar employees, companies lack value to thrive in competitive environments.
The third aspect of the trip that was unforgettable was the group of people. This trip forced us all to network, and we all actually bonded and became closer than mere acquaintances. This made the trip more than just business because we had an incredible time in one another’s company.
I would highly recommend all students partake in any career treks the school may offer in the future.”
Yang Li
“It was a good opportunity to get a sense of how firms on Wall Street and in New York City look like. I learned new things beyond knowledge that I have grasped. I also updated the knowledge learned from school through panels and meetings provided by nine companies.
The guest speakers gave good advice to us from different point of views. The culture of those companies are varied but they are all ethical-anchored companies in the increasingly complex and competitive financial industry. The most valuable thing I got is a general idea of my career plan after graduation.”
Alexa Brooks
“The NYC Career Trek was an incredible experience not only for the opportunities that it created, but also for the relationships that I was able to build and the way that it helped me grow both as an individual and a professional. We were able to delve inside some of the most sought after careers in the finance industry and not only meet with high level professionals in those fields, but gain their insight into both future careers and their company.
This kind of experience is invaluable as we begin to approach the career market. Additionally, the relationships that I formed with other students on the trip were the most unexpected, but also one of the most valuable assets I was able to take away from the experience. I was able to form strong bonds on both a personal and professional level which will continue to be beneficial as I start and progress my career in the industry.
Last, this trip helped me to grow tremendously as an individual. The experience solidified my position in pursuing finance and opened my mind to much greater possibilities. Where previously I was unsure of pursuing finance and only imagined myself starting in a small, Colorado company. I now plan to move to New York upon graduation and secure a position in one of the top firms that we visited. The career trek opened my eyes to greater possibilities that I could be pursuing and, more importantly, it gave me the confidence to believe that I can achieve greater things.”
