My journey, both academically and professionally, has been shaped by curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to step outside of my comfort zone. At Wake Forest, I chose to double major in Finance and Russian, a combination that reflects both my global and analytical interests. I’ve enjoyed the rigor of studying a language and culture that demands focus and discipline, while complementing it with finance courses that challenge me to think critically about markets, organizations, and problem-solving. I also joined the Pre-Wall Street Career Track, which helped me understand the scope of the business world and prepared me to succeed in my investment banking job.
I began gaining experience early on through internships that introduced me to the world of energy and natural resources. The summer after my sophomore year, I interned with a physical commodities merchant and trading firm in their retail power division, where I worked on a capstone project analyzing the post-billing lifecycle and collections. This experience sharpened my skills in problem-solving and gave me exposure to the operational side of energy markets. This past summer, I interned with Barclays in Houston as an investment banking summer analyst, where I dove into corporate finance, transactions, and client advisory work. Over the summer, I had the chance to work on an IPO and a sell-side M&A mandate. I loved my summer and I feel incredibly fortunate to be returning to Barclays after I graduate from Wake.
Advice I would give to current students is to take ownership of your journey by being proactive and intentional. I knew that I was interested in energy ever since I was in high school (growing up in Texas has that effect), and so I aggressively pursued opportunities that would fulfill that interest. There are Wake alumni everywhere, and leveraging that network was and continues to be so helpful to me in my professional pursuits. Personally, I would also encourage students to find balance: invest in friendships, communities, and routines that ground you, because the relationships and habits you build in college can be just as formative as your academic and career milestones.