Ryan Thornburg

Experience Prior To The Program

I was a sophomore finance major with very little coursework experience when I joined the program. I joined with the goal of breaking into the buyside directly out of college and I believed Luis could help me do that.

Training Experience

Luis’ mentorship, in hindsight, was an incredibly helpful aspect of the training that prepared me for the real world. I could not have gained any of the internships I received after my sophomore year or my full-time job out of college without being a part of the program. Showing interest/passion is very important to getting a job/internship and one way you can do that is by being a part of the program.

The internship could not have been any more applicable to what I’m doing today. I used my NVIDIA report (with Luis’ permission, after the investment was complete) to network with potential employers. They were stunned.

Internship Experience

The internship experience was quite difficult but rewarding. After it, I felt much older/more mature than my peers in college. During the internship I wrote a research report for NVIDIA (the semiconductor company), and I am now researching it again during my full-time job. So the internship could not have been any more applicable to what I’m doing today. Also, I used my NVIDIA report (with Luis’ permission, after the investment was complete) to network with potential employers. They were stunned.

Mentorship

The mentorship was key to my success. Luis knows what works and what doesn’t in the world of finance because he has seen so many students succeed/fail. If you listen to him and ask him if he knows any other people that can help you, you’ll be in a great place.

Career Development

By the end of the program I felt well-versed in financial modeling, accounting, and valuation. It also takes work experience to understand how to work in a team / with a manager, so this really helps you get those soft skills prior to your internships / job.