Putting Freshman Year into Action in New York City

Fisher sophomore Andres Ramirez ’22 spent a week in the Morgan Stanley Summer Freshman Enhancement Program in New York City.

Ramirez says that he experienced first-hand the financial services industry, putting what he learned in Fisher classrooms to work.

“The experience highlighted some key measures from Acct 101 and 102 that I learned this past year,” he said.

In the Institutional Securities Group, he learned about investment banking, global capital markets, equity research, sales and trading, and more. Lessons took place in and out of the classroom, in groups or two-on-one shadowing opportunities. Networking sessions taught him the importance of making connections. During the sessions, he spoke with analysts, vice presidents, and managing directors, listening to the ups and downs that led them to their current positions.

The rigorous weeklong program has sparked a passion for Ramirez. Previously planning to attend law school to become a corporate lawyer, he now wants to continue down the path of the financial services industry.

“I have not abandoned the possibility of corporate law, but with this program, I have become heavily obsessed with the industry and I want to become a global capital market analyst or an equity research analyst,” he said.

Dr. Michelle Erklenz-Watts, director of academic advising at the Center for Career and Academic Planning, said experiences like the Morgan Stanley summer program can provide students with experience sourcing internships through Handshake, a national job and internships database available to Fisher students, and preparing for interviews. And, they often result in a more confident student.

“After participating in the internship, Andres has come back as a student who has already had experience with interviewing, networking and collaborating, and most of all, putting himself in an unfamiliar situation and thriving,” she said. “Because of this, his passion has only increased. He came back this year with a long list of other opportunities that he would like to take advantage of and he now has the knowledge and confidence to take on even more, setting himself up to have many doors open for him upon graduation.”

This article was written by Emma Pyrak ’21, an intern with the Office of Marketing and Communications.