Student Spotlight

What did you do prior to SIPA?
In college, I participated in many internships, including a small hedge fund, Microfinance Bank in India, and the U.S. Department of State where I pursued economic analysis in the transportation industry and its role in reciprocal economic agreements between the US and other bilateral partners.  

After college, I originally wanted to go into law and work with a boutique law firm helping their crypto division but soon I realized that I wanted to work at the intersection of finance and risk, particularly in sovereign and country risk.  

I took post-graduate coursework at NYU to strengthen relevant macroeconomic and technical skills, particularly in Python. Last semester, I interned with KBRA Sovereign Risk where I was involved with a variety of ad-hoc macroeconomic research tasks, particularly within Latin America where I contributed to a couple of external research pieces titled "EM Monetary Policy Supports Recovery But Macro Uncertainties Persist” and “Euroscepticism Losing Ground Amidst EU Bloc’s Cohesive COVID Response." I was also involved in working with the team to internally rate a portfolio of Sovereigns.  

In your view, what role does the financial sector play in society? Is there anything that you would like to see changed?
Everyone needs money, and everyone likes working in a competitive environment. Finance injects that into society and makes it more equitable. 

What advice do you have for SIPA students who are looking to build a career or transition into finance?
1. Build your technical skillset, and pursue a project or an internship to demonstrate your skills developed in school, and work with minimal supervision, as this will be a key selling point during an interview
2. Network with as many people as you can, not just SIPA Alumni and current classmates, but also create your own luck by engaging with various people within NYC. Always have a casual short pitch about your background and interest.  You would be surprised how many roles are just given through word of mouth and to see your former high school soccer teammate’s mom works in the exact field you want to work in and be willing to give you an opportunity. Expand your network beyond just pressing search on LinkedIn and create that luck connecting with former classmates and engaging in small conversations. Also always keep in touch with people you spoke to about what you have been up to at school and professionally
3.  Follow the markets and macro news. I read Exec Sum by Litquidity and The Daily Peel by Wall Street Oasis every morning to keep up with the news and observe the market trends to discuss in class with our professors and peers. by professionals/professors 

Is there an article or book that you have recently read that you would recommend to the members of the SIPA Finance Society?
Dance of the Trillions. 

A favorite course at SIPA and why?
Right now enjoying taking the Emerging Capital Markets as it is the perfect place to apply what I have learned theoretically in micro/macroeconomics to current market movements and the current state of the global economy.