HWS News
24 October 2025 • Alums Eric Stein '89 Helps Finance Students Raise Their Game
Interview prep sessions and two-day bootcamp, combined with a longstanding NYC Career Trek, help students land internships in finance.
As internships in finance become increasingly competitive, HWS' Finance Society is giving students an edge through a mix of classroom learning, technical online training and alumni-led preparation. A new financial modeling bootcamp and in-person interview sessions with HWS Trustee and former J.P. Morgan Chase Global Chairman of Investment Banking Eric Stein ’89, anchor the program. Together with HWS’ longstanding New York City Finance Trek, these initiatives are designed to sharpen students’ technical expertise, build confidence in high-pressure interviews and expand their professional networks.
In September, 21 sophomores who are enrolled in the Finance Society participated in one of the initiatives: Wall Street Prep. The intensive Accounting & Financial Modeling Liberal Arts bootcamp is designed to help students master Excel and earn an industry-recognized certificate.
In October, Stein is hosting three, two-hour, in-person interview preparation sessions. Following his leadership at J.P. Morgan Chase, Stein now serves as president at Viridi Parente, a Buffalo-based energy storage company.
“Firms are looking for candidates who not only understand the technical side of finance but who can also think critically under pressure,” Stein says. “These sessions are about helping students bridge that gap – giving them a clear picture of how professionals approach valuation and deal analysis while preparing them to compete successfully in a process where expectations are very high.”
Stein’s sessions with students emphasize technical interview skills. In Session 1, he offered an overview of investment banking and valuation; in session 2, he did a deep dive into valuation, and in session 3, he will focus on Leveraged Buyout analysis, a financial modeling process.
Most Finance Society students are enrolled in Professor of Economics Feisal Khan’s “Econ 190: Financial Markets” course. Designed to expose primarily sophomores to the basics of corporate finance, the course meets for lectures on Mondays and Wednesdays, while Fridays are dedicated to either alumni guest speakers or technical skills sessions.
Khan says the course provides a framework for students to understand how financial professionals analyze problems to make decisions in the market. The course is also meant to prepare students for the rigorous internship application process and the demands of the internships themselves. Students also learn directly from HWS graduates who share insights from their own internship and job searches.
“The idea behind ‘Financial Markets’ is that the internship competition is getting really intense and the timeline for internship applications at the larger firms, especially in areas like Investment Banking, has gotten really accelerated, so we want to make sure that our sophomores have the knowledge and skills needed to be strong candidates,” Khan says.
To get a jumpstart, Director of Employer Development and Engagement Shayne Feinberg P’17, P’20 urges students to meet with her starting their first year. Finance Society students work closely with the Salisbury Center for Career Services. To complete their Pathways requirements with a finance focus, Feinberg meets with Finance Society students weekly to work on resume development, personal pitch refinement, networking strategies and interview preparation.
“While it’s never too late to connect with us at Career Services, it’s never too early either--especially in finance where internship applications are much earlier. Some are posted in November of sophomore year for junior summer internships,” Feinberg says. "When students connect with us in their first year, it gives a better runway to help them seize opportunities such as the Finance Society is offering now."
In the photo above, HWS Trustee and former J.P. Morgan Chase Global Chairman of Investment Banking Eric Stein ’89 leads a class in Trinity Hall.
