Hello again everyone! My experience with Girls Who Invest is coming to a close, and I could not have been happier with the program or my internship at Wellington Management.
Through my summer experiences, I was able to achieve all of my learning objectives and more. My knowledge in finance and investing concepts grew dramatically through both the GWI educational program and my hands-on experience at Wellington. Through the coursework, case studies, and on-the-job projects, I was constantly challenged and thinking through different ways to value a company or approach a problem. I was able to increase my knowledge and experience while working in a professional environment, and I was able to form so many new meaningful connections and relationships with both my peers and with industry professionals.
I hope to build off this experience by continuing to immerse myself in the finance and investing world. I am pursuing a Finance degree at Tulane and have plans to take additional courses to enhance my knowledgebase in various areas so I can directly apply this knowledge in future positions. I am also pursuing an internship in asset management for next summer to further increase my experience and skillset. I hope to continue to learn more about the nuances within various asset classes, and I hope to gain more exposure to and experience in research and valuation of companies and securities.
To those students interested in pursuing an internship in investing, I advise you to gain as much early-on exposure as you can through classes, internships, competitions, etc. Be curious and ask as many questions as you can. At the beginning of the summer, I didn’t realize how many different career paths existed in this industry. I advise students to reach out to peers or alumni in the industry to learn more about their experiences to help students narrow their interests and refine their criteria for a position.
While investing is certainly a male-dominated industry, over the course of the summer I have found that there is an increasing amount of opportunities for female investors to enter the space. So may firms offer gender-diversity programs that aim to get more women involved in the field. I have met so many talented women this summer who have become successful leaders in the industry. In my experience, hard work does not go unnoticed, so I advise females to put forth their best efforts and strive for excellence in every task they approach.
I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to be part of the Girls Who Invest program and community, and I’m looking forward to continuing to pursue a career in such an interesting and dynamic industry.