According to Colgate University’s website, business and finance are two of the top career fields for Colgate graduates. Even without an undergraduate business school, students have found great success, with some of their biggest employers being Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley, to name a few. Colgate has programs to support students looking to enter into the business world including, but not limited to, coffee chats with employers, networking opportunities, business-focused clubs, devoted professors and guidance for finding impactful internships.
Especially when looking for internships, an undergraduate student’s greatest asset is Colgate’s alumni network in the business and finance spheres. Colgate alumni are well-versed and integrated into the financial world and all share a deep passion for the small liberal arts haven nestled here in Hamilton, N.Y. Senior Avery Johnson shared the value of interacting with the Colgate alumni network.
“The most impactful resource was Colgate’s alumni network,” Johnson said. “Alumni are often more than willing to share their experiences and advice, which can help you clarify what might or might not be a good fit.”
For Johnson, these conversations have led her to go into sales and trading. Sales and trading is a career she finds to be fast-paced, client-driven, social and directly engaged in the markets. Johnson is majoring in applied mathematics with a minor in education. At Colgate, Johnson indulged in conversations with professors involved in different areas of finance, joined Colgate Women in Business and took advantage of Colgate Career Services’ informational sessions. She also completed the Tuck Business Bridge program at Dartmouth College and took a Wall Street Prep course.
“The Tuck Business Bridge program at Dartmouth offered a comprehensive business curriculum and included a hands-on stock pitch project,” Johnson said. “This experience equipped me with practical skills and deepened my interest in finance as a career[…]. The Wall Street Prep equities market course was directly relevant to my career goals and provided a solid foundation in market dynamics.”
Johnson recommends that Colgate students take these sorts of courses in order to have a better background and foundation as preparation for internships and to provide a confidence boost when entering into a professional setting. These can be done during breaks to ease course loads.
“The most important experience, however, was my internship at Evercore in sales and trading,” Johnson explained. “The only way to really know if you enjoy something is by trying it — and I absolutely loved both the role itself and Evercore’s supportive, high-energy culture. After graduating from Colgate, I’ll be returning to Evercore in their institutional equities business as a sales and trading associate, starting in June.”
During her internship, she had unique opportunities to gain knowledge and understanding of the markets and was exposed to valuable equity research on Wall Street. She felt that working at such a firm that cares about prioritizing your growth and learning was very important for students looking to find their place.
Senior Wolf Gordon, an economics and psychology double major, described how the Colgate alumni network has allowed him to make his way into the finance industry.
“The alumni network has been the single most invaluable resource in my application and recruitment process,” Gordon said. “So many doors have been opened to me because of the generosity and support of the Colgate alumni network. I sound like a walking advertisement for Career Services, but it’s true. Never underestimate the power of talking to people.”
Gordon explained how building relationships with Colgate alumni connected him to investment banking at Barclays, where he will return for a full-time position after graduation.
“The fall and winter of sophomore year, I tried talking to any and all Colgate alumni working on Wall Street,” Gordon said. “Eventually, I was invited to Barclays in New York for a Superday, where I interviewed with two employees and was accepted into their Summer 2024 Analyst program. It was an incredible summer experience.”
Michael D’Ambrosio, a senior political science major, also emphasized how integral the Colgate alumni has been not only to his success in securing internships but also to his career exploration process.
“Reaching out to dozens of Colgate alumni has given me an idea of what I do and don’t want to do after college,” D’Ambrosio said. “Everyone I speak to from Colgate is extremely helpful and eager to speak with me and answer any questions I have. Even if alumni didn’t have answers to the questions I was asking, they were happy to refer me to their contacts.”
After graduation, D’Ambrosio plans to work in consulting. He highlighted the importance of utilizing summer experiences to learn about one’s career interests, as well as the importance of dedicating lots of time and effort to the job search and networking processes.
“The past few summers I have had many internships in different fields including academic research, sales, insurance and compliance … To achieve these positions, I spent lots of time applying to jobs, researching companies, preparing for interviews and speaking with alumni,” D’Ambrosio said. “I treated the job search as a fifth and most important class and I think that is what has contributed to my personal success.”
Senior Louisa Thompson, president of Colgate Women in Business, felt that surrounding yourself with the right people in your professional career matters and makes a difference. Thompson has a position lined up at a private wealth management firm where she interned over her junior summer, an experience where she met some of her closest friends. She found that being in such an environment made her working days interesting and challenging, and solidified her decision to pursue finance.
Thompson knew from a young age she was interested in the business and entrepreneurial world.
“I started my own business called Collaged and also a Colgate-specific business called Colgate Prints,” Thompson said. “I capitalized on my love for art, making customized posters and canvases.”
Beyond being a young entrepreneur, Thompson, an economics major, has spent her time at Colgate taking advantage of exploring various niche topics and building connections with professors. She shared that all her professors have influenced her in some way.
“I took cancer biology with [Professor of biology Engda Hagos] and he has made a lasting personal impact on me,” Thompson said. “If you can, I would take a course with him. He is the strongest, most influential professor I have ever had. His ability to continue mentoring and teaching after facing real, heartbreaking adversity keeps me going and serves as a reminder to pursue what you are genuinely interested in. I hope to write a book about him someday.”
She also explained that Assistant Professor of economics Rick Klotz, her environmental economics seminar professor, challenges her and her classmates, and emphasized the importance of being able to confidently articulate your ideas and beliefs.
Thompson’s biggest piece of advice to Colgate students looking to go into business or finance is to differentiate yourself.
“Everyone can get a certification, but can you think about pressing issues differently?” Thomson asked. “Can you infer what industries would benefit from certain events? For example, I remember this summer, my mentor at work asked me what the consequences of the rise in [the use of] GLP-1 [agonists in weight-loss medications] would be. Will beauty standards become obsolete because anyone with enough money and resources can ‘get skinny?’ Will the fashion and clothing industry change?”
She also advises that it is not a big deal to not know everything during interviews and that making yourself out to be more knowledgeable than you are can be dangerous. Questions are a good thing, and people should be willing to provide you with answers that are clear and concise.
“It can feel intimidating as a liberal arts student entering the finance world, but remember there are plenty of resources to help bridge that gap, and you’ll be learning a ton on the job,” Johnson said. “Employers value students who are passionate and eager to learn.”
Johnson’s words align with Thompson’s opinion, and they both underscore that a big part of learning is done through true work experience. Colgate has sufficient resources to prepare its students, and an alumni network ready to help.
