Hello, my name is Prashant Bishwakarma and I am a Manager of Corporate Development at Capital One. Prior to Capital One, I was an investment banking analyst at Dickinson Williams & Company, a boutique investment bank serving companies in the lower middle market. Prior to DW&Co. and graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University, I interned in public investment banking at B.C. Ziegler in the Senior Living group. I am happy to talk to any prospective student looking to get into finance, but I can be particularly helpful to students who attend a non-target university in secondary markets. I can also provide insight into F100 Corporate Development. Finance is a great career path for building a foundational understanding in business. I chose finance because it brings great visibility to management teams early in your career.

Hello! My name is Mitch Beller and I am currently a private equity associate at JLL Partners based in New York City. Prior to my time at JLL, I was an investment banking analyst in the Global Industrials Group at Jefferies in NYC. I grew up just outside of Kansas City before attending and eventually graduating from the University of Kansas in 2017 with BSc degrees in both finance and accounting. I got into finance for the challenge, caliber of people, and optionality (if you start your career in investment banking, you can do almost anything you want in business afterwards; the skill-sets are that valued). I have been fortunate to have had people from various backgrounds extend their hand and time to me in helping me piece together my short career thus far. I know the process can be daunting and continuously exhausting. Each of you has what it takes to pursue whatever it is that intrigues you. Myself and the rest of the PFF team are here to help you craft the streamlined story of how each of your experiences are connected, and rightfully convey you are the person the company is looking for, whether that is in finance or another field of your passion. We are here to help in any way we can, and I look forward to being a part of your process.

Hello, my name is Hank Barrett and I’m an associate at Gridiron Capital in New Canaan, CT. Prior to Gridiron, I was an analyst in the Global Industrials Group at Jefferies in NYC. I grew up in Williamstown, MA and graduated from Wesleyan University in 2017 with a BA in Economics and Government. I was always interested in finance (and business more broadly), but knew very little about the industry or the various potential paths. I chose to pursue investment banking because I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after school and was hoping to open as many doors as possible while I figured it out. In the few years since I graduated, I’ve been lucky enough to work and interact with many great people across a range of different industries, roles, and backgrounds. I remember well how overwhelming it can be trying to figure out where to start — none of us would be where we are without the help of people who had gone through it themselves and were willing to share some advice. You could have no idea what you want to do, already be dead set on a specific role, or, most likely, be somewhere in-between — no matter where you are, I’d love to help.

My name is Anya and I am currently a senior at Duke University. I will be joining Goldman Sachs as an incoming investment banking analyst in the Financial Institutions Group. Previously, I interned as a sophomore in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Bank of America, at TowerBrook Capital Partners, and in venture capital at Serena Williams' venture capital fund. I have experience with insight programs and re-recruiting between sophomore and junior summers. I am passionate about helping women and individuals from non-traditional backgrounds, such as non-target schools or first-generation students, break into finance. Please feel free to reach out to discuss anything related to investment banking, venture capital, or breaking into finance. I'm always happy to provide insights or mentorship.

My name is Val Ayer. I'm a 4th year consultant in Deloitte's Strategy Consulting practice - I've worked on a number of different types of engagements from full-on strategy development and transformations, to customer segmentations, to integration planning for a merger. I pursued a career in consulting because I wanted to be directly involved in the decision-making process for issues that are top-of-mind for executives, while driving real impact. Prior to Deloitte, I graduated from Boston University in 2018, a decidedly non-target school for Deloitte, so I know what it's like to apply without the robust interview support a typical target school applicant would receive. I'm 100% happy to chat about anything from the philosophical (e.g., "why consulting?") to the nitty gritty (e.g., "what is a case interview?", "how do I go about practicing for a case interview?"). All you have to do is reach out!

My name is Eddie Auslander. I’m currently a private equity associate with H.I.G. Capital (Advantage Fund) in New York. Prior to H.I.G., I was an investment banking analyst in the global industrials group at Jefferies in NYC. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2017 with a BS in business administration with a concentration in finance and a minor in social & political history. If you would’ve asked me why I got into finance while I was early on in college, I would’ve told you I it was because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. After my first finance internship in a corporate M&A setting, I became enthralled by learning how and why decisions were made by management teams, and I kept finding myself wanting to learn more, which led to me pursuing a role in investment banking. I’m more than happy to hop on the phone to discuss future career aspirations, help with interviewing, or provide any other tips / tricks to help start your career path in the right direction. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

My name is Arman Arya and I am currently a rising third-year student at USC Marshall, majoring in business administration with an emphasis in finance. I spent my freshman summer interning at Oceanview Capital Partners and will be interning at Tikehau Capital in New York this summer, working in their decarbonization fund. I'm also excited to join Moelis & Company in Los Angeles for my junior year summer. The PFF organization has been a huge help to me, and I'm really looking forward to giving back as a mentor. I went through the recruitment process as an underclassman and know how challenging it can be. I'm more than happy to chat about interview tips, recruitment guidelines, or anything else you might have questions about. Feel free to reach out via email—I'd love to help in any way I can!

My name is Fernando Arrascue Quiroz, and I am currently a private equity associate at Corsair Capital based in New York. Prior to joining Corsair, I was an investment banking analyst in the Global Technology Group at Stifel. I grew up in Venezuela and Florida. I graduated from Penn State University in 2019 with a major in Industrial Engineering. I am aware of how challenging recruiting processes are and how difficult it is to standout in a sea of well-prepared applicants. Having gone through both IB and PE recruiting, I would be happy to provide candid insight on each process. You should reach out to me if you would like more information on IB/PE recruiting, being an engineering major in wall street, being an international student applicant, working in NYC, networking, etc.

I am an Associate at H.I.G. Capital’s Infrastructure Private Equity Group in New York. Previously, I was an Analyst in Stifel’s Aerospace, Defense & Government Services Investment Banking Group in Washington, DC and, prior to this, was an Analyst at HSBC’s Mid Corporate Investment Banking Team in New York. I completed my undergraduate degree at Fordham University in New York where I majored in Finance. Growing up, my family moved around constantly, giving me the chance to live in South Korea, Indonesia, Los Angeles, and New Jersey, where I spent the majority of my childhood. I believe this helped me form a unique worldview and a desire to pursue a career that allows me to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds. I first became interested in Finance after speaking with professors, friends, and upperclassmen during my freshman year. Specifically, I was intrigued by the nature of the work, caliber of individuals in the field, career optionality, unique skill development, and ability to work with people from different backgrounds. My mentors, both senior and junior, provided crucial insights and advice that allowed me to break into the industry. Therefore, I’m looking to do the same for others looking for guidance. While I can speak to investment banking and private equity in general, I believe I can also add unique insights on lateral recruiting, especially to different geographies, and breaking into high finance from a non-traditional background. If you’re looking for help, please feel free to reach out!

My name is Anne Alexander and I’m a consultant in Accenture’s M&A Life Science Strategy group. I assist life science firms with strategic transactions that transform them into more successful entities. I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in Business Honors & Finance. A restless academic, I decided that a career in consulting would slate my thirst for continual learning by exposing me to a broad range of industries and functions. Although I went into recruiting slightly underprepared, I quickly learned the process to secure multiple offers. As one of Accenture’s I&D recruiting chairs, I’m passionate about helping others navigate the challenges of consulting and the recruiting process. I try to empower my clients, peers, and students with the knowledge that they can achieve their goals, whatever they might be.

I’m currently working at Zipline an autonomous drone delivery startup focused on the business unit economics and global operations. Previously, I was an Associate in Growth Equity focused on B2B SAAS and Tech-enabled business services. I started my career as an Investment Banking analyst in the Real Estate, Gaming and Lodging group at Goldman Sachs in NYC. I graduated from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia where I studied Finance, Global Management, and Art History. I’m happy to talk to anyone about career paths in finance or all the other things I’ve considered along the way.

My name is Sumer Aggarwal and I currently work in Chicago, IL for Brookfield Properties doing Real Estate Development. I decided to seek a career in commercial real estate development & investments as I found this track to be the perfect mix of finance, strategy, architectural design, and project management. If you want to learn more about a potential career in commercial real estate or what I do, please don't hesitate to reach out!

My name is Samyog Adhikari, and I am originally from Nepal. I am currently pursuing a major in Business Economics with a concentration in Finance. Over the course of my academic journey, I’ve gained experience in Investment Banking, including a summer internship at RBC Capital Markets in New York City, where I worked on the Consumer and Retail Coverage team. I’ll be returning to RBC after graduation to continue my career in investment banking. Prior to this, I completed an internship at WestEnd Advisors, a boutique investment management firm in Charlotte, N.C. I chose to pursue a career in finance, specifically investment banking, because of my interest in working on high-impact transactions and the dynamic nature of the industry. I enjoy the fast-paced environment and collaborative problem-solving that the role demands. As someone who has navigated the finance recruiting process as an international student, I understand the unique challenges it presents, from visa hurdles to networking. I'm happy to share insights on navigating these obstacles, interview preparation, and making the most out of the recruiting cycle!

Hello! My name is Rachael Overland. I am currently an investment banking analyst in the Industrials Group at Stifel in NYC. I graduated from the University of Richmond in December 2018 as part of the Class of 2019 with a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Management. My journey to finance took a roundabout route, from international relations and Arabic to sports development, corporate finance, sales & trading and finally investment banking. I ultimately pursued banking because I wanted a challenge. Very few other industries provide the same level of experience, responsibility and exposure as banking provides within the first couple of years. As a woman coming from a non-target school without a specific picture of what post-grad would look like, I can provide advice on how to look at different options, help you think about what fits you personally and tailor your answer to “why banking” based on your skills and experiences. I am very lucky to have received fantastic mentorship and support so far in my career, I hope I can pass along some of what I have learned.

Hi, my name is David Chong. I’m currently an investment associate at Point Field Partners. Before this, I spent 1.5 years with Truist as an investment bankings associate, 1.5 years with T. Rowe Price as an equity research associate, and 1.5 years with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey as an investment banking analyst. I graduated from the University of Richmond with a BSBA in Economics with a concentration in Finance. Growing up in an Asian household, I was encouraged to pursue a career in medicine or law. However, the more I learned about finance, the more I realized a career in the industry would be both intellectually stimulating and personally rewarding. Many investment banking analysts move to the buy-side and stay there. I’m the anomaly in the PFF team in that I made the switch initially to buy-side equity research, went back to banking, and then finally landed upon my current family office / private equity role. I can be a resource to you by speaking about equity research, investment banking and / or family offices / private equity, and more generally, how to position and market yourself for a change in roles. I have also been through multiple arduous recruiting processes, from networking to preparing for interviews. I look forward to chatting!

My name is Kush Shah and I am currently an investment banking analyst at BMO Capital Markets’ Middle Market M&A team which focuses on industry-agnostic sell-side and buy-side for middle market clients. I studied Finance with a minor in Real Estate at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business. I pursued a career in investment banking because it is the greatest platform for a young finance graduate to understand the nuances of a business while combining the aspects of being on the fore front talking to clients and processing analytical information. Prior to my current experience, I worked with the public finance team at Piper Sandler. For those who are thinking about a career in general with finance, I would be more than happy to walk through my multiple internship and full time experiences, along with how to prepare for interviews.

My name is Justin Huang and I am currently an analyst at BDT & MSD Partners, where I work on transaction analysis and execution of investments and strategic advisory assignments. I graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. I'm originally from Sydney, Australia, and moved around a few different countries, so I'm able to speak to recruiting as an international student. Happy to chat about recruiting, interviewing, and career paths in general.

My name is Michael Likogiannis and I am currently a Strategy Consultant at Bank of America covering Global Markets and the Private Bank. I began my career at Bank of America as an analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions group focused on technology companies, initially based out of the Palo Alto office and later transferred to the NYC office. My interest in investment banking was driven by my desire to work in a challenging, fast-paced environment that taught me a strong foundational skillset I could later use as an investor, operator or founder. I graduated from Rowan University magna cum laude in 2020 with a B.S. in Finance and Accounting. Despite attending a non-target school, I creatively found a way into the industry. I would be happy to share my playbook or discuss various career topics such as recruiting now that I’ve been on the other side of the process – just reach out!

My name is Robyn Myers and I graduated from the University of Chicago, where I majored in Economics and Psychology and minored in Human Rights. I’m currently an Associate at Stride Consumer Partners in Boston. I completed my two year Analyst program on the Regional Investment Banking team at JP Morgan (NYC) where I worked with middle-market companies as both a coverage and product partner. I pursued a career in banking because the role provides a great technical foundation that allows you to pursue various career paths coming out of college. The role is dynamic and client-facing, presenting new challenges and projects frequently and allowing you to work with interesting companies and founders. I am always happy to connect, please feel free to reach out!

My name is Matthew Kushner and I am currently a private equity associate at Brynwood Partners, a private equity firm based in Greenwich, CT, which focuses on leveraged buyouts of middle market consumer businesses. I started my career in the Relationship Lending Group within the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs where I focused on underwriting syndicated corporate debt. While I initially began my career with Goldman Sachs in the Salt Lake City office, I transferred to the New York City office in the same role, and later transitioned to the Healthcare investment banking coverage group in New York City. I attended Elon University and graduated magna cum laude in 2018 with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and B.S. in Accounting. I pursued a career in finance because I wanted the opportunity to develop the skills, both soft and technical, required to manage a business as a founder, owner, or investor. More than happy to discuss all things recruiting and day-to-day for Private Equity and Investment Banking. Additionally, pleased to discuss navigating an untraditional path to investment banking based on my own personal experience mentioned above.