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 Jonathan Lu, and I am a Private Equity Senior Associate in General Atlantic’s late-stage technology group, based in Miami. Prior to joining General Atlantic, I worked as a Senior Associate in the Strategic Investments Group at Warburg Pincus, where I focused on investing in late-stage software and tech-enabled services businesses. Prior to that, I worked as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Financial Institutions Group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. I grew up in South Florida and graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Economics. I’ve worked in both FIG and Tech and am happy to discuss the nuances between both industries. Additionally, I'm happy to help provide advice for navigating the recruiting process (internship, full-time, lateral and buyside recruiting). I've benefited from the mentorship of others and am very excited to volunteer with PFF!

My name is Sara Scherping and I am currently a private equity associate at The Carlyle Group in the US Buyout – Healthcare team in New York. Prior to Carlyle, I spent two years as an investment banking analyst at Barclays in the healthcare coverage group in New York. I graduated from the University of Virginia – McIntire School of Commerce in 2021 with a concentration in finance and management. My family has largely pursued careers in medicine / medical research, so I strayed very far from my family’s traditional path by recruiting for investment banking. However, because of my family background, I have always been innately interested in the healthcare space and I love learning about and investing in healthcare businesses. Please reach out to me to discuss anything related to investment banking, private equity, or healthcare. Additionally, I am extremely passionate about increasing the number of young women professionals in finance, and I would be more than happy to provide any insights or mentorship.

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 Sophie Fries, and I am a current Summer Analyst in the Financial Services Investment Banking Group at Piper Sandler. I am a rising senior at Washington University in St. Louis, where I study Finance and Political Science with a minor in American Culture Studies. Prior to my summer at Piper Sandler, I was a Credit Risk Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City, UT. I am pursuing a career in Investment Banking because I believe it provides a strong foundational knowledge of finance and expands the breadth of my technical skillset. As a woman and a candidate from a non-target school, I understand the challenges that arise with investment banking recruiting and would love the opportunity to help you navigate your path!

My name is Will Fergesen and I’m an Investment Banking Analyst in Piper Sandler’s consumer coverage group in Minneapolis, MN. I graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a BBA in Finance a year early in May 2023 and completed my Summer Analyst program that summer following. More than happy to answer any and all questions regarding IB and the recruiting process. I hope I can provide specific insight on navigating non-traditional graduation timelines and recruiting at a non-target school.

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!

Hi! My name is Alec Feng and I am an investment banking analyst at William Blair in the Technology group in Chicago. I am originally from Manhattan Beach, California, and I graduated from Michigan State in 2022 with a B.A in Finance. I pursued a career in investment banking due to the opportunity to learn all sides of a transaction, and continue to build a diverse skill set. Having recently gone through investment banking recruiting, I know how competitive and stressful the process is. I also experienced both in-person and virtual interviews, and can speak to my experience during the summer internship and the adjustment to coming back full time. I am happy to help in any way I can, please do not hesitate to reach out!

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!

I am currently an investment banking analyst at CIBC, as a part of the EIT (Energy, Infrastructure and Transition) coverage group in New York. I studied Economics and Political Science at UCLA, and grew up in Abu Dhabi. I always knew I wanted a career in finance, but was unsure about my path so I tried out different internships, including working at a startup, a boutique investment bank, and a private equity firm. Ultimately, I pursued banking because I wanted a career that would challenge me, help me develop soft and technical skills, and offer a wide variety of opportunities. I'd be happy to discuss anything related to the recruiting process, finding internships, networking, and navigating an untraditional path to investment banking.

My name is Dev Gandhi and I am currently an investment banking analyst in the consumer & retail group at Santander in New York. I graduated from Fordham University in May 2023 and majored in finance with a minor in economics. My interest in finance was sparked after joining multiple finance clubs on campus and speaking with professionals in the field. I was lucky enough to have multiple finance internships during my years in college, some of which I attained through cold emailing. These experiences led me to pursue investment banking late in my sophomore year. Without the guidance of my mentors, I would not have been able to navigate the recruiting process and I would love to do the same for others. Please feel free to reach out as I am more than happy to discuss the recruitment process and help on the journey at any stage.

I’m Griffin King. I will be working as an Investment Banking Analyst at Harris Williams following my graduation from the University of Richmond in May 2023. At UR, I am studying finance and management entrepreneurship. I have previously interned at Wells Fargo in Healthcare Investment Banking, and Gleason Advisors in Generalist Investment Banking. I came into the University of Richmond planning to study biochemistry with the intention of going to med school. Through mentors at UR, I became interested in finance and investment banking. I’m happy to hop on the phone to discuss career plans, breaking into finance, and share more about my path.

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!

My name is Charles Kintner, and I am an incoming analyst in William Blair's Industrials group in their Chicago office. Prior to interning with William Blair, I worked at a lower middle-market private equity firm focusing on industrial, consumer, and healthcare markets. I graduated from Loyola University of Chicago with a bachelor's degree in economics. My attending of a nontarget university provided numerous hurdles to surmount, but through perseverance, passion, and good fortune I was able to succeed; I want to help nontarget and nontraditional candidates do the same. I am happy to help at any stage: whether it is your first step of choosing banking as a career path to mock interviews and technical preparation.

Feel free to reach out to my email.

Hi, my name is Ramid Kadirov and I am an international student and currently a rising senior at the University of Richmond, interning at Pointe Advisory which is a strategy consulting firm in Washington, DC. Prior to pivoting to consulting, I worked at Credit Suisse in their investment banking division. After my internship at Credit Suisse, I decided to change my career trajectory to management consulting due to its exposure to diverse projects and clients as well as its analytic component. I can talk more about my experience in finance and consulting if you are interested in deciding which one is best for you. Please, reach out to me if you have any questions regarding navigating the recruiting process in consulting or finance, especially as an international student.

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.

My name is Ganggas Harjianto and I am a private equity investor at NewSpring Capital in the Philadelphia area. Prior to this role, I was a part of the lower middle market strategy at Main Street Capital Corporation in Houston and the leveraged finance group at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (now Truist). I grew up in northern Delaware in a middle-class, immigrant household and attended the University of Delaware for undergrad, where I graduated with a degree in finance in 2017. Coming from a “non-core” / state school background, recruiting for my first role was a monumental challenge that taught me the power of forming and developing strong networks, and I can wholeheartedly say that I would not be where I am today without the help offered by those along the way. Finance is such an interesting field that allows you to test the limits of your knowledge, drive decision-making, and meet and interact with successful executives and peers from all walks of life, and as such, I am always eager to pay it forward and help out where I can. Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to learn more about (i) recruiting from a “non-core” background or (ii) the nuances of lower middle market private equity!

Hi, my name is Jack Plocica. I graduated from Wake Forest University in the summer of 2017. I’m currently an Analyst at Truist Securities in the Investment Bank. Specifically, I’m in the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications vertical of the Syndicated & Leveraged Finance group. My interest in finance sparked from networking, as you are doing now. I found that I learned a great deal from speaking to young professionals. My goal in joining the Pro Forma Futures team is to pay this forward by sharing my knowledge and experiences with you all. My experience in the industry has truly been rewarding thus far and hopefully we can encourage you to be excited about your future as well.

Hi! My name is Donna Wong, and I’m an associate at Zenyth Partners. Before Zenyth, I was in Jefferies’ Healthcare Investment Banking group based in NYC. I’m originally from Hong Kong and I graduated from Tulane University in December ’21 with a BS in Economics. During college, I also took on leadership roles within CHAARG (Changing Health, Attitudes and Actions to Recreate Girls) and Consult Your Community. I decided to pursue healthcare investment banking for its exposure to all kinds of public/private transactions across the healthcare universe and the various learning opportunities. As a former international student who did not formally intern in banking in the summer prior to graduation, I encountered all the usual obstacles during the recruiting process due to my visa status, on top of limited openings in the full time cycle. I can be most helpful in discussing recruitment strategies as an international student, breaking into banking from a liberal arts background, and/or full time recruiting.

I am currently in the BizOps and Strategy team at Handshake, a late-stage tech unicorn. Before moving into tech, I spent the first five years in TMT investment banking at Moelis, Jefferies, and Nomura, and in corporate development. I started my career in finance because I wanted to build a solid foundation in financial analysis, and develop a skill set in providing data-driven insights that will impact a whole organization. I made my switch into tech to get more hands-on operational experience and implement the strategies and recommendations I've formulated. Outside of work, I am an avid poker player, traveler, and self-described foodie. Happy to chat about anything investment banking related (internships, full-time, lateraling, etc.) or transitioning from finance to big tech.