Twelve members of Nebraska’s Wall Street researchers, a student organization at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Business College, recently traveled to New York City to meet and networked with investment bankers and investment professionals.
Experience provided them with first -hand exposure to the most competitive financial industry firms. The opportunity was made possible with support from Matt and Natasha Plooster, and BridgePoint Investment Banking.
The journey, called “BridgePoint U”, gave the group members an opportunity to connect with industry leaders. They met with partners’ analysts at 13 firms: Adams Street, Blackstone, Deutsche Bank, Digital Bridge, Goldman Sachs, Guggenheim, Lincoln International, Mizuho/Greenhill, Moelis, Morgan Stanley, Oppenheimer, Perella Weinberg Partners and Piper Sandler.
The following students, alphabetically ranked by their hometown with their year to school and great academic, participated in the trip:
Nebraska
DonPhan:
- Aberam Stutzman, young, finance and accounting
Elkhorn:
- Kyler Evans, Junior, Finance and Economy
- Alec Franksmann, Sofomore, Finance
Fremont:
- Cooper Taylor, elderly, finance and accounting
Lincoln:
- Will Blacechford, New, Finance and Economy
Omaha:
- Jude Dunwoody, Sofomore, Finance and Accounting
- Noah Nordstrom, elderly, finance and accounting
- Christian Thomas, Elderly, Finance
- Jack Thiele, new, finance and accounting
Platsmouth:
- Jack Welch, new, finance
Elsewhere
Naperville, Illinois:
- Matt Ligeski, Junior, Finance and Accounting
Overland Park, Kansas:
- Miles Wirth, New, Business Administration
The group’s president, Christian Thomas, said that face -to -face interactions are invaluable in the highly competitive areas of banking investment and asset management.
“Many of the best target schools – mainly Ivy League institutions – have these firms on their campuses, which is not something we have access to Nebraska,” he said. “Traveling to New York, we not only demonstrated our commitment to these careers, but we also received our names and resumes to recruiters who might not have considered us otherwise.”
Kyler Evans, a small finance and the main economy by Elkhorn and the deputy chairman of the group, emphasized how the trip accelerated his career opportunities.
“Recruitment of investment banks happens at a tremendous pace,” Evans said. “I am looking for the practice that happens during the summer after my new year. I had interviews lined up while we were in New York and even had to change my flight to Houston for a recent last round interview. This trip was a great differentiation. “
BridgePoint Investment Banking, founded by Matt and Natasha Plooster, played a critical role in making possible travel. A native of Nebraska and the firm’s general director, Matt Plooster understands the barriers that Midwest students face in breaking in Wall Street. He worked for 10 years on Wall Street for Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank before returning to Nebraska to co-like BridgePoint.
“When I was a student, these opportunities did not exist,” he said. “But Nebraska’s students are as smart, talented, hardworking and capable as those from higher schools recruited. Nebraska’s finance students always distinguish me with unprecedented work and perseverance. They are to Hungry, determined, mature and functioning very difficult.
More than 20 Nebraska students have interned in BridgePoint throughout the years, Plooster said.
“Almost all of them have gone to a career in BridgePoint or other big investment banks or private capital firms,” he said. “This is one of the influences BidgePoint has had which I am most proud of.”
BridgePoint also helped students prepare to use the trip as much as possible.
“We thought it would be very influential to bring these students to some of the leading financial firms around the world and help them establish relationships that can lead to real career opportunities,” Plooster said. “It was an excellent effort for the team, as other members of the Business Department of Finance Advisory Board at the Business College were joined in lining the firm’s visits and making presentations.”
Thomas said Nebraska’s Wall Street researchers hope to make BridgePoint were tripled a repeated opportunity for their members.
“We look forward to continuing this new tradition and to offer Huskers the opportunity to compete for the most competitive positions in all finances for the years ahead,” he said. “We are very grateful for BridgePoint and Alumni who made this happen. Thanks to their support, this is just the beginning.”