Hi! My name is Jessica Wilson and I currently work in Richmond, Virginia at the London Company doing equity research. I am a generalist who focuses on US-listed stocks across a spectrum of market caps and industries. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2019 where I received a BSBA in Economics, with a concentration in finance, and a BA in Italian Studies. During the summer of my junior year I interned at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in their Sales & Trading division. After pursuing the summer internship I decided a research position would be a better fit for me. I have always had a curious and analytical mind and conducting in depth research is intriguing to me. To complement my work in equity research I am also pursuing a CFA charter. I recently passed Level II and will be taking Level III at the end of the year. It was certainly not easy getting to where I am today and I believe that is largely due to there being a lack of resources for people who didn’t grow up in a finance household. Don’t let this dissuade you from following your passions. I hope I can be a mentor to anyone, who like me, knows their strengths but just needs help finding their way.

Hi, my name is Kolby Williams. I am currently a Senior Underwriting Analyst at Freddie Mac in their Targeted Affordable Housing (TAH) group. Prior to Freddie, I worked at The Warrenton Group, an affordable housing development company in Washington, DC. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2019 where I received a B.A. in sociology and played football. I pursued a career in real estate finance and particularly affordable housing because of my interests in real estate and helping people at mass scale. As a candidate who didn't major in business/finance/accounting and was a student-athlete, I see myself a resource for those with similar backgrounds/interests and would be happy to provide advice on how to leverage non-traditional backgrounds to get a foot in the door and navigate the real estate finance industry.

Hello! My name is Joe Wen, and I’m currently an Associate in the Strategic Equity Solutions group at Bank of America, located in NYC. Prior to joining Bank of America, I was an analyst in the Equity-Linked Origination group at RBC Capital Markets. I graduated from Washington & Lee University in 2019 with a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in Computer Science. I decided to pursue a career in finance because I wanted to be in a work environment where I can be given significant responsibility at a junior level and also be surrounded by intelligent and driven people. From my own experience, I understand the importance of mentorship given how daunting and exhausting the recruiting process can be, and I would love to chat with you about career aspirations / networking tips / interview prep / or anything else that’s helpful to you, at any point of your journey.

My name is Ben Wen, and I am a first-year Analyst at the Jefferies SF Technology team. I originally grew up in China and recently graduated from Babson College with a concentration in Finance. I decided to start my career in investment banking because of the fast-paced nature and broad base exposure the position offers. However, I didn't go through the conventional "internship to full time" path because I started recruitment late. I'd love to help you with your full-time recruitment journey, from networking strategy to interview prep.

My name is Jimmy Wang. I am currently an investment banking analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. in New York within the FIG and Real Estate group. Prior to OpCo, I was an analyst senior intern and analyst intern in the valuation & opinions group at Lincoln International in New York. I graduated from the University of Rochester in 2022 with a BS in Business finance. I developed an interest in business through the complexities of a board game: Monopoly. The intelligence required to organize, plan, and execute motives on a plain board coincides with the way our capitalistic economy works. Through my experiences, I developed an affinity for entrepreneurship and leadership. My college experience taught me the importance of dedication, passion, and imagination, and, in retrospect, these values encouraged and supported me to pursue a career in investment banking. Looking back, I would not have made it in without all those cold emails and networking, and I hope to pay it forward.

My name is Maxwell Wang and I am currently a private equity associate at The Carlyle Group within the global infrastructure private equity team. I began my career at Citigroup as a project finance analyst, where I focused on structuring debt instruments for infrastructure projects. I graduated from Cornell University in 2021 with a B.Sc. in Industrial and Labor Relations. I pursued a career in finance after learning about the industry from peers in various student organizations on campus, and am excited to help others pursue their own career path.

I am currently a third-year student at USC Marshall. I interned as a sophomore summer analyst with Credit Suisse's Financial Sponsors group and will be joining Ares Management's Direct Lending IR team in NYC for my junior year summer. I am pursuing a degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance and a minor in legal studies, and have benefitted tremendously from the Trojan Alumni network, along with the PFF platform. I went through recruitment as an underclassman and would love to chat about the interview process and best practices from an undergraduate or international student's perspective. Feel free to reach out via email, and I will help in any way I can!

Hello! My name is Sabina Vohra. I am currently an investment banking analyst in the Aerospace and Defense Group at Stifel in their Bethesda, MD office. I graduated from the University of Richmond in May 2022 with a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. My interest in Investment Banking began at the end of my first year at college after talking to upperclassman who were entering the industry. I was drawn to the learning curve that was offered to twenty-two year olds and it is unparalleled to many other industries. I worked in the political realm for much of my high school and early college experience to understand how challenged and fast-paced I wanted to be in the professional setting. As a woman coming from a non-target school, I understand how sometimes you must carve out the experience you need to understand what you want. I can help advise on how to look at different options, how to craft your story, and provide tips for preparing efficiently for technicals that will help set you apart. I would not have been able to get this far in my career without the wonderful mentorship and support I had over the years, and I am passionate about paying it forward. I would love to share the insight and advice I received and learned to help anyone land their first job or internship!

Hi, I’m Michael Ukrainskyj. I studied finance and economics at the University of Richmond and am currently a sell-side M&A analyst at Harris Williams, a middle-market investment bank in Richmond, Virginia. I came into college unsure of what I wanted to study. Through my courses and speaking with school alumni, I chose finance and eventually investment banking because of responsibility and work-ethic instilled directly out of college. Recently going through the interview process myself, I understand the importance of having a college-aged mentor to help along the way. Breaking into the world of finance can be daunting, but I can provide guidance every step of the way. Through my experiences in equity research, private equity, and investment banking, I’m happy to chat about different career paths / networking / and interview prep. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of mentors along the way and would love to help anyone else get into the world of finance.

My name is Aakash Tummala, and I am currently a senior at Rutgers University studying Finance and Real Estate. This past summer, I was an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Piper Sandler in their Financial Services Group, and I will be returning once I graduate. I pursued a career in finance because I enjoyed the fast-paced, team-oriented environment, and I wanted the opportunity early on to develop the skills, both soft and technical. Coming from a non-target school, I can answer any and all questions regarding IB, networking, and the recruiting process. I am happy to chat & be a resource in whatever way possible!

Hi there! I’m Pjay Togunde. I am a business strategist in the Athletes & Entertainers client segment at UBS Wealth Management, based in the New York City area. Prior this role, I was a wealth management rotational analyst. I am from Atlanta, GA and I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2019 with a Business Administration degree, with concentrations in economics and finance. I decided to pursue wealth management because I found it to be a perfect combination of two of my passions: financial management and helping people. For those who are thinking about wealth management but don’t know much about it and want to learn more, I would be more than happy to talk to you about the type of work, roles and career opportunities available, along with how to prepare for interviews. Additionally, as a woman and a minority, I understand the challenges underrepresented students can face with breaking into the finance industry, so I would love to be a resource and mentor for those who need support or guidance.

Hi, my name is Jack Statfeld. I am currently a 1st year Associate for ING Capital on their Infrastructure Project Finance Team in NYC. Prior to joining ING, I worked at Siemens as an Analyst in their Leveraged Finance Group in NYC and at Wells Fargo as an Analyst in their Energy & Power Group in Houston, TX focusing on Exploration & Production Companies. I graduated from Tulane University in 2019 with a BSM in Finance and an Energy Specialization. I have always been passionate about the broader energy/infrastructure sector but wondered how these capital-intensive projects are financed. Tulane presented me the opportunity not only to learn about the capital raising aspect of a business but to focus on the energy/infrastructure industry as well. I understand how daunting and competitive breaking into finance can be and am here to help you. Whether it be networking tips to technical questions, the PFF Team will make sure you are prepared and well situated in pursuing a career in finance.

I am currently a private credit analyst at Bain Capital. I started my current role after graduating from Notre Dame, where I studied Finance and Economics with a minor in History. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs but now live in Boston. I entered college as an undecided business major and originally recruited for consulting before finding my way into buyside finance. As I discerned where to start my career, I was fortunate to find informal mentors with experience navigating similar courses, recruiting cycles, and analyst programs. I would be happy to be a similar resource and talk about deciding between consulting vs. finance, breaking into buyside out of college, moving to Boston, networking, and the day-to-day of life on the job. I look forward to connecting!

My name is Keshav Sota and I am originally from Parsippany, New Jersey and attended NYU Stern where I graduated with a degree in Finance. I am currently an Associate at EQT Partners in the Active Core Infrastructure Group, and was previously at BlackRock in their Global Infrastructure Fund and at Citi in the Global Industrials Group. 

I would be more than happy to help in any capacity, whether it's understanding the basics of what a career in finance looks like to helping with resume development & interview prep. 

My name is Ben Smith and I am currently an Investment Associate at Access Industries, having previously worked as a Senior Investment Analyst at Spider Management Company. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2020, with a BA in Business Administration and concentrations in Economics and Finance. While it might be difficult to access out of college, a career in Investment Management offers you the unique opportunity to jump right into a ‘Buy-Side’ role and take on significant responsibility investing large pools of capital to support meaningful causes. I’d be more than happy to talk to you about my work experiences, or even the CFA program if that is something you are considering. Don’t be a stranger!

My name is Matt Cory. I am currently a second-year investment banking analyst in the Syndicated and Leveraged Finance (LevFin) Group at Truist Securities in Atlanta where I support the Healthcare and Consumer teams. Prior to transitioning into the LevFin group, I spent two years working for the Healthcare Credit Delivery Group at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. I grew up outside of Atlanta, GA before attending the University of Georgia where I graduated with a B.B.A in both Finance and Real Estate. Entering college, I wanted to become a doctor, intending to major in biochemistry and pursue medical school. Over time, my interest in pursuing finance grew, and by my junior year, I officially changed my major to finance. Ultimately, I wanted to pursue a career that was both challenging and rewarding in an environment where I would be surrounded by smart and determined people. The finance and specifically, banking world can be intimidating to break into out of college; I'd be happy to connect with you and speak about my experiences, my decision to change majors, strategies with networking and/or any interviewing tips I have so that hopefully, through working together, we can achieve your goal of landing a great job in the world of finance!

I am an associate on the portfolio operations team at L Catterton, a global consumer-focused private equity firm. In my role at L Catterton I work to enhance investment returns by driving operational improvement in our portfolio companies. I was previously a consultant at Kearney in their Strategic Operations practice. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2018 where I studied finance and management. I chose an initial career in consulting because I was excited by the idea of working on a wide variety of business problems across different industries. Consulting provides an awesome foundation of skills to launch into almost any business career, so it's a great option if you don't know exactly what type of job you want to pursue. I know the idea of "consulting" can be super vague and opaque, so I'm happy to chat about what a career as a consultant looks like, guide you through the various types of consulting, interview prep, or really anything that might be helpful. Don't be afraid to reach out!

My name is Ryan Shumway, I am currently an investment associate at Crescent Capital Group, a private credit investment firm based in Los Angeles. Prior to Crescent, I was an investment banking analyst at Jefferies in the Global Industrials Group in New York City, and I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 with a degree in Finance. I was born, raised, and went to college in Tucson, Arizona, where almost nobody I knew was in this industry or even knew much about it. My networking story in college was one of many cold calls, cold emails, and generally “pounding the pavement” to better understand the industry as well as get connected with people who could help me reach my goal of working in it. As such, I've always been excited to help students from my alma mater and elsewhere to understand the industry and get their foot in the door. I'm happy to help at any stage in your finance journey, from "what even is finance?" to deep dives in technical and qualitative interview skills. Feel free to reach out with a quick introduction, and let's chat!

I am Peter, and I am an analyst at Deutsche Bank, working on companies in the Healthcare sector. Previously, I was at NYU Stern pursuing a B.S. in Finance and Econometrics. While in college, I tried many different career options, interning at a venture capital fund, at a startup in the Silicon Valley, and in sustainability consulting. Eventually, I landed my interest in investment banking, and being able to work with and understand these companies powering Corporate America has truly kept me going. My investment banking experience prior to Deutsche Bank was at Credit Suisse as a 2023 summer intern - a complex situation, but also a great story to tell! I am more than happy to share about my journey so far to investment banking, or to discuss anything that may be helpful.

My name is Pranjal Sheth, and I am currently an incoming analyst with Moelis & Co, in their Houston Global Energy Investment Banking Group. Before joining Moelis, I interned with Mizuho Securities in their Power, Utilities & Infrastructure Group in NYC and with Hastings Equity Partners, a Boston- based private equity firm working out of their flagship fund on LBOs of middle-market companies in the business services, infrastructure, or renewables space. I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston in Fall 2024 with a BBA in finance. I came from a background in medicine but moved over to finance when I realized it was something I had a true passion for, and the difference was easily clear after switching my major and trying different opportunities in the space. I went through non-target recruiting and so understand the struggles there. I am happy to have a conversation on how to approach recruiting from a non-target perspective, as well as understanding the broader high-finance landscape and how to break in when you come from a different background.