Navigating Success: Inside YU’s Asset & Wealth Management Society
In an engaging conversation with Emma Halpern, co-president of Yeshiva University’s Asset & Wealth Management Society, she shares the society’s objectives and goals. The society aims to guide students toward achieving their career goals within the asset & wealth management field by securing internships for its members and connecting them with industry professionals. Halpern elaborates on the society’s events, including mentorship programs and networking events, which are essential for members to gain an understanding and the necessary skills for the finance industry.
Mo Berlin: Can you tell us a little bit about the mission of the Asset & Wealth Management Society and how it started?
Emma Halpern: The mission statement of the Asset & Wealth Management Society is to help students secure their dream internships within the asset & wealth management field. The society began last year at YU. It started out as an idea by my co-president, David Chriqui (SSSB ‘26). He pitched the idea to a few students at Beren and ultimately, we began working together to shape this idea into a reality.
MB: What types of events does the society organize?
EH: We begin each year with an introductory overview of asset & wealth management as well as address various positions within the field. The lesson is taught by both presidents of the society. The society also holds panels, networking events and Q & A sessions with varying levels of professionals from esteemed banks and firms. Some of the banks we have included in our events have been J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and more.
MB: How do these events contribute to the members’ understanding of asset & wealth Management?
EH: These events are exclusive opportunities for members of the Yeshiva University Asset & Wealth Management Society to connect with industry professionals from world-leading financial institutions. These events are designed to provide attendees with an in-depth understanding of the operations, culture and career pathways within the asset & wealth management divisions of various firms. Through direct engagement with experienced professionals, society members will gain valuable insights into the skills and strategies necessary to succeed in these highly competitive fields.
MB: How does one become a member of the society, and what are the criteria for acceptance?
EH: If a student wishes to join the society, they will need to apply during the application time frame. They will need to answer questions listed on our application form as well as submit their resumes. After applying, an additional two rounds of interviews will be conducted to ensure that students who are selected to join the society have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in the field. We also want to ensure that we select students with a passion for asset & wealth management, as the process to attain an internship is very tedious and extensive; we want to ensure students who are selected to join the society will truly want a position in the field.
MB: Could you share some insights into the firms that have recruited members from the society? Are there any notable success stories?
EH: Noam Maman (SSSB ‘25), a member of the first year of our society, secured an internship at J.P. Morgan and has come back to the society as a mentor this year. She has provided invaluable knowledge and helped our members to better prepare for their interviews this year.
MB: The society offers a mentorship program. Can you elaborate on how this program works and the benefits it provides?
EH: Sure — The program works as such: An additional reason why we put a cap on how many students can join the society is to allow for individualized attention. We aim to have 6-8 mentors per year to ensure that there is more one-on-one time for the members. The ratio between each member and a mentor should be no more than 2:1. The goal for our society is to have it be 1:1, but we found that as we interviewed students, there were many more people interested in asset & wealth management than we had initially thought. The benefits of having a mentor are unmatched. Having someone you can text anytime you have a question or want to run something by is an incredible resource. All of our mentors either have had an internship in asset & wealth management at a prestigious firm or are about to begin their internship this upcoming summer and have already secured their position. The mentors and members are assigned to one another and they work together to make sure that each member puts their best foot forward throughout the entire application process.
Another pro of joining the society is gaining the resource of having each member to work with. We deeply encourage our members to take advantage of one another to do mock interviews, stock pitching, prepare for hireviews or do readings on the markets together.
MB: What is the society’s approach to helping its members prepare for careers in asset & wealth management?
EH: We help our members in many ways to have a successful career in asset & wealth management. We run a two-hour introductory event which explains the ins and outs of the industries. As well, the presidents and mentors constantly check up on the members, making sure that they are keeping up with recruiting, market knowledge and networking. As well, the mentorship program gives the member a person who can give an inside look into the field.
MB: How does the society’s recruiting timeline align with the academic year and industry recruiting cycles?
EH: Our society’s applications open in September each year with interviews during October and November. Our society is open to applications for upper or lower sophomores. The recruiting timeline for asset & wealth management can vary. Some jobs have final round interviews as early as February, and others as late as October the following fall.
MB: Are there any upcoming events or initiatives that you’re particularly excited about?
EH: I’m very excited about our next networking event coming up. We’re holding a networking event with various professionals from Citi and UBS. Another great thing about our events is that we try our best to bring in professionals of all different ranks so that our members have the chance to connect with as many different industry leaders as possible.
I’m also very excited about the investing project that we’ve been working on developing for our members. I think it could be an excellent way for members to gain experience with investing in multiple asset classes and overall, a great introduction to working in finance.
MB: What are some goals or aspirations you have for the society during the remainder of your tenure as co-president?
EH: We hope to grow the professional network of the society to further bolster the society’s influence. The longer the society exists, the more YU Asset & Wealth Management Society alumni will have jobs in firms, strengthening our network and opportunities for members. We are also trying to develop an investing project of some sort to give members an experience with investing in multiple asset classes.
MB: What kinds of events do you usually hold, and how often?
EH: We aim to hold roughly two events per month. These are networking events that allow our members to have one-on-one conversations with professionals from esteemed banks and firms. Members have the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with industry professionals and gain valuable insight on how to further promote their careers. They can ask any questions they wish and are given an incredible chance to grow their connections with leaders who work in this field.
MB: What are some of the key skills or experiences students gain from being part of the society?
EH: I would say the biggest resource that one will gain by being a part of the Asset & Wealth Management Society is the amount of support provided. We assign each member with a mentor who can give them individualized support, we tailor events uniquely designed for deep and gainful conversations with top-tier professionals and each event is catered to bring in professionals who work in the specific niche that the majority of our members want to go into.
The Asset & Wealth Management Society thrives on mutual support. Being around people who want to see you succeed and who push you to be your best self is the greatest asset we offer our members — and hopefully, a great internship too!
MB: How do you keep members engaged and active within the society?
EH: This is actually a great point — thank you for asking this. So, the reason we have such a tedious application process is that we only want members who are driven and willing to put in the work to obtain an internship in asset & wealth management. While we do offer support and connections, it is ultimately up to the student to push themself to achieve their dream internship. Asset & wealth management is a competitive field and the application process is not easy. We do our best to inform our members of the process but it really is up to them to turn their dreams into a reality.
We keep our members engaged by providing them with exciting workshops and networking events, which foster their growth and knowledge of the field as well as enhance their connections.
Photo Caption: YU Asset & Wealth Management Society’s Morgan Stanley x Bank of America Networking Event
Photo Credit: David Chriqui
