Internships and other forms of work experience in college form a unique a rite of passage that many college students must complete when progressing in life and their own journey. A transition from the student world of education to the employee world of real responsibilities and deadlines marks a major turning point in the lives of many young adults.
This summer I have experienced this change firsthand. As a student pursuing a vocation in the field of finance, I secured the opportunity to work as an assistant to James Bayard and Ryan Gisclair, a pair of local Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professionals in Baton Rouge. A link to their website can be found here.
When asked about the value of getting work experience while still pursuing an undergraduate degree, my boss James said, “I got my start in the field of finance via an internship. Through the process, I learned quickly that financial planning offered a great balance of working directly with individuals and implementing various financial concepts I learned through my formal education. Having you on our staff for this summer has been a great addition to our firm.”
I have been working for over a month at their firm Capital South Wealth Management, and it has been nothing but amazing. James and Ryan have given me the opportunity to be a part of the entire financial planning process from the moment a client steps in the door to the time they leave feeling confident that their investments are in good hands. They have collaborated with me on multiple daily tasks surrounding this process: determining the goal of the client, researching asset allocation strategies, using graphs to illustrate future financial outcomes, and organizing client expenses for budget planning.
In addition to the hands-on tasks of the internship, my financial vocabulary has expanded exponentially, giving me the ability to speak more sensibly about my job every day. I have taken away so much from my time at Capital South Wealth Management that I can’t help but share my experiences with others, including my parents and fraternity brothers. It has been fulfilling to see that the effort I have put in over this brief experience has really made a difference in other people’s lives as well as my own.
This internship was only possible because a brother in my local chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon helped me get my foot in the door, allowing me to obtain this vital experience for my career. Without SigEp, I can positively say I would not have had this opportunity in my life so early, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.
If you or someone you know would be interested in joining a fraternity that opens doors to unique opportunities such as this, please consider completing a membership interest form or refer a brother. I am thankful for this internship and look forward to the next opportunity to grow in my field and wealth of experience.