When Eli Abboud graduates this spring from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management, his resume will boast degrees in economics and computer science, with a minor in finance.
Not that he’ll need to shop his resume around. He already has a position lined up on Wall Street in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s research division.
How did that happen? Lots of opportunities for career development throughout his CWRU years.
Internship:
“I spent the summer working on the research team at Bank of America Merrill Lynch for High-Yield Chemical Bonds. In essence, my team researched bonds and made recommendations to asset managers on how they should invest their money.”
Networking:
“CWRU's alumni network played a huge role in helping me learn more about the industry and put my best foot forward during recruiting. In fact, I've emailed, called, or grabbed coffee with pretty much every alumnus who works in my field. They were all extremely willing to help, and many are still major mentors of mine.”
Faculty support:
“Professor Scott Fine has played a pivotal role in my success so far. Scott knows the business world inside and out. He's been a consultant with McKinsey, a banker at Goldman Sachs, a public company CFO, a private equity partner and sits on the board of a bunch of companies. His office is among my first stops whenever I have a big career decision to make, and his advice never disappoints.”
Campus involvement:
“Weatherhead Fund, on-campus speakers and the Wall Street Trek all got me hooked on investment research. By far, the most impactful experience that I've had at CWRU has been my time in the Weatherhead Fund. The fund was started in 2011 with a $100,000 donation. By actively managing a portfolio of equities, we have since grown our initial endowment to over $600,000. I would not be working at Bank of America or anywhere else on Wall Street had I not participated in the Weatherhead Fund. I really can't overstate how pivotal that experience has been.”
Watch a video to hear more from Eli.
Let’s get down to business.