Hobart and William Smith Colleges

17 January 2025 • Alums Discovering Finance in New York City

HWS students immersed themselves in the world of finance through the NYC Finance Trek, held Jan. 6-8. 

During winter break, the NYC Finance Trek provided students with the opportunity to attend meetings, presentations and networking events with more than 40 alumni from leading financial institutions, including Aon, Bank of America, Barclays, Bloomberg, CitiGroup, Evercore, JPMorgan, Mastercard, S&P Global and UBS. Hosted by the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Learning, the program offered valuable insights into the opportunities available in the finance industry.

Joined by Professor of Economics Feisal Khan and Salisbury Center Senior Associate Director Shayne Feinberg P'17, P'20, students visited business headquarters and offices throughout the city to hear directly from alumni about their careers and experiences.

“We want our students to see the wide range of career possibilities available in finance and that they are competitive at the highest levels, whether that is in investment banking, financial services or foreign exchange trading,” says Khan. “They heard from our grads at these firms how an HWS liberal arts education helped them get their jobs and then prepared them to do well once they got them.”

For Natalie Haythorn ’25, a business management and entrepreneurship major, the trek was an opportunity to explore each business’ values and consider potential career paths. 

“I learned the significance of communicating, being prepared, and staying informed about who you are meeting with,” says Haythorn. “I also discovered the importance of following your passion and understanding that a career is not a sprint but a marathon. Your first couple of jobs are a learning curve, helping you understand your preferences. It may not be perfect on your first try, but patience and persistence will guide you to the right fit.”

Meghan Bartholomay ’27, an economics major, joined the NYC Finance Trek to gain insights from alumni about their professional journeys. 

“The alumni offered invaluable advice on college, internships and careers,” reflects Bartholomay. “Their investment in seeing the success of current students was apparent and reaffirmed how supportive the HWS community is.”

Economics major Tru Styles ’27 found the chance to engage with senior executives and leverage HWS career resources especially rewarding.

“This trip was a great experience that allowed me to create lasting memories and connections with my classmates, while also expanding my network with seasoned professionals,” Styles says. 

Participating alumni and parents included:

Aon: Senior Broker Robert Baumberger ’17, Assistant Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions and Transaction Solutions Julian Boland ’21, Associate Broker Abdoulaye Diallo ’23, Assistant Vice President of Private Equity Alec Kaminer ’19, Vice President Anne O'Brien ’18, Financial Services Group Private and Nonprofit Practice Leader Catherine Padalino '88, Investment Banking Analyst Patrick Walker ’23

Bank of America: Managing Director of Global Wealth Management and HWS Trustee Aileen Gleason ’85, Director of CashPro Product Management Kiersten Hamilton ’12, Global Transaction Services Treasury Analyst Christina Mitrow ’22, Vice President Max Wopperer ’14

Barclays: Vice Chairman of the Global Financial Institutions Group and Chair of the HWS Board of Trustees Craig Stine ’81, P’17  

Bloomberg: Chief Operation Officer of Americas Enterprise Sales Andy Brennan ’09, Enterprise Relationship Manager of Hedge Funds Matthew Fox ’19, Enterprise Sales Team Leader Joseph Gibbons ’14, Enterprise Account Manager Kelsie Worth ’22

CitiGroup: Relationship Officer at Citi Global Wealth at Work Michael Bamah ’22, Vice President Margaret Bluhm Welles ’15, Global Wealth Analyst Matthew Brand ’24, Investment Associate Darius Brummel ’21, Director of Private Credit Markets and Solutions Clifford Crain ’05, Private Banking Analyst Gillian Parrett ’23, Vice President of Foreign Exchange Sales Dylan Quay ’18

Evercore: Partner Jonathan Bergner ’85, P’19, Wealth Advisory Analyst Elizabeth Crimmins ’24, Equity Portfolio Manager and Chair of the Equity Selection Committee Timothy Evnin P'26, Partner Jim Holihan '84 

JP Morgan Chase: Senior Associate Michael Birkhofer ’16, Global Finance and Business Management Analyst Christopher Celero ’22, Executive Director James Dempsey ’11, Vice President, Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager Sean Donnelly ’17, Managing Director Michael Garland ’12, Client Associate Brendan Goostray ’21, Equity Research Vice President Alexander Hess ’12, Equity Research Associate Bennett Moore ’18, Vice President Alexander Nugent ’15, Private Banking Senior Associate Benjamin Shapiro ’17, Managing Director Michael Zazzara ’93, 

Mastercard: Senior Specialist of Product Management Jake Preston ’20 

S&P Global: Head of Dividend Forecasting Amira Abdulkadir ’14, Associate Director of Asset Management Client Coverage Megan Barwick ’19, Associate Director of Sustainable Finance and Fordham MBA candidate Caroline Demeter ’15, Senior Editor of Digital Content Operations Georgia Jones '04, Sales Specialist Robert Lewis ’19, Senior Analyst in Corporate Ratings Andrew Manuel '18, Director of Financial Services Sales Michael Patrizio ’17, Senior Specialist of Strategy and Planning Jacob Tomm ’22

UBS: Technology Banking Associate Kyle Baradzi ’18, Investment Banking Associate Director Zachary Sternbach ’20 

Top: Professor of Economics Feisal Khan and Senior Associate Director of the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Education Shayne Feinberg P'17, P'20 join students on the NYC Finance Trek for a photo with the charging bull on Wall Street.