22/06/2023
New York, the world’s financial capital, is a dream destination for any student with an interest in finance, banking or investment. Recently, a group of Master in Finance students took advantage of the Global Immersion Week offered by IE University to experience an insider’s view of this buzzing city, meeting top financial professionals and gaining real-world knowledge and career advice.
One of the factors that sets IE University apart is its emphasis on practical experience—taking learning beyond the classroom and preparing students for their roles as leaders in business. As part of their program, Master in Finance students have the choice of an optional trip to a significant global financial center—London, Frankfurt, Ghana or New York—to give them hands-on experience of the financial world and the opportunity to network with top-tier professionals.
The trip to New York provides an opportunity for students to meet and learn from senior professionals from leading financial institutions, including investment banks, venture capital funds and asset management firms. In addition, they have the chance to meet IE University alumni currently working in New York, allowing them a glimpse of what their future careers could look like.
Hands-on experience of the international financial world
We caught up with two Master in Finance students, Patrick Mayer and Scott Spector, to hear their accounts of the New York trip. Both emphasized the merit of getting firsthand experience of the daily lives of financial professionals, explaining that they were able to learn about the inner functions of each professional’s role, discuss important current events in business and capital markets, and get valuable advice on career development and recruitment.
The Master in Finance students met with professionals from top-tier investment banks such as Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Wells Fargo, Barclays and Société Générale, as well as from asset management and rising venture capital funds including BlackRock, Balyasny Asset Management, Capital Group, ExodusPoint Capital Management and Left Lane Capital.
“Working with hedge fund managers, investment bankers and senior executives helped all of us on our paths to becoming professionals ourselves,” said Patrick.
Adding that he felt the students had learned more in three days in this international experience than they would have done in a classroom.
Scott, who spent his week working with professionals ranging from high-ranking executives to fresh analysts, agreed: “We felt welcomed by each professional to their spectacular offices, and were impressed by the great humility and respect each one of them showed us while discussing honest career and life advice.” In addition to the professional knowledge he gained, Patrick found the experience deeply rewarding on a personal level.
“Moving around in downtown New York, hopping from one meeting to the next, gave us an insight into how our future selves could potentially be living.”
Learning and networking in a global financial hub
The New York trip provides opportunities for personal as well as professional development. While it’s far from being your typical tourism visit, there’s plenty of scope for networking and socializing with fellow professionals, as well as visiting important landmarks. “We were fortunate to visit sites such as the United Nations Headquarters and the New York Stock Exchange, which have both served as focal points for historical economic events,” noted Scott.
Scott particularly appreciated meeting IE University alumni at a social event, as well as the chance to strengthen bonds with his classmates who joined him on the trip.
Patrick was pleased to have the chance to meet students from a partner US university, as this provided an opportunity to make friends and create lasting relationships with like-minded people internationally.
Professional and personal development opportunities
Both students agreed that the greatest value of the New York trip was in the people they met, both on a professional and personal level. Patrick noted that, while it wasn’t his goal to find a job while in New York, other Master in Finance students have indeed secured jobs through the contacts they’ve forged during the trip.
Scott described the New York trip as an unforgettable experience, adding that his entire journey at IE University has been “a very challenging, but also unique and highly rewarding life experience.” While the Master in Finance program has improved his financial skill set and helped him secure his first full-time role following graduation, he also commented that IE University “is truly an amazing platform to develop as a well-rounded individual.”
Stories like those of Patrick and Scott exemplify the IE University spirit: getting out of your comfort zone and embracing a “can-do” mindset.
The optional Global Immersion Week in New York is just one of the opportunities available to Master in Finance students to help them conquer the fast-moving world of international finance.
