A few dozen students pack into a corner conference room on the 30th floor of a skyscraper. Out the clear, glass window to the right lies the murky waters of the Hudson River. Directly ahead, at the front of the room, stood three managing directors, all of whom hold the title these students hope to one day hold.
This was the scene on a balmy October day at the New York offices of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management firm.
“Everyone who worked there walked into the room with their head held high; they had a lot of confidence,” says sophomore Jermauri Hall, a double major in finance and AIM (Accelerating Ingenuity in Markets). “That’s what attracted me to [BlackRock].”
Over the course of three days, dozens of Marquette AIM students converged on lower Manhattan, touring some of the world’s top financial firms hoping to making connections that will lead to internships. Students heard from representatives at nine firms, including JP Morgan Chase, Citi, Bank of America, TD Cowen, Barclays, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, RBC and Société Générale about the ins and outs of life on Wall Street — a life they intend on living themselves.
When it comes to recruiting, you have to be sure that you want New York…this was a way for me to experience it and say that yes, I really want to try for New York.”
Kean D’Souza, AIM sophomore
“Students join AIM because they want rigorous, applied educational opportunities in finance using the latest technical tools,” says Dr. Joe Wall, the executive director of AIM and the Beverly L. Flynn chair of Accounting Ethics and Disruptive Technologies. “Our program is focused on providing outstanding career outcomes for graduates. Having students connect with AIM alumni is a key aspect of delivering on that promise.”
“The travel aspect of AIM adds a lot to the program. I feel like I got to know both the alumni and my peers so much better through this trip,” says Sophia Guiter, a triple major in finance, information systems and AIM with a concentration in financial technology, applied AI and business intelligence.
Originally founded 20 years ago by Dr. David Krause, AIM is now old enough that its earliest alumni occupy lofty positions in large, multinational banks. Colleen Osborne, a director of corporate banking in the financial institutions group at Royal Bank of Canada, is just one example. Her first time in New York City came over 15 years ago as an AIM student. She decided on that trip that she would one day come back to work in the city, and she credits AIM with giving her the skills, confidence and network to make that dream a reality.
“Marquette and the AIM program played a pivotal role in my career, and I think it’s important to give back to the institution that provided me with so much,” Osborne says.
The students who want to follow in Osborne’s footsteps now face more competition than ever. Goldman Sachs, a popular destination on the visit, reported an internship hiring rate of just 0.9%, which is down from 5% just 10 years ago. Many of the banks the students visited had just opened their internship applications for summer 2026, meaning applicants would be seeking a job 18 months in advance.
For students who may have just decided on a career in finance, that timeline can feel daunting. Getting insight on the process from seasoned alumni provided them with some reassurance.
“It was good exposure for me to see all my options early on and think about whether I want to apply on the East Coast or in the Midwest,” says sophomore Kean D’Souza, a triple major in finance, information systems and AIM with a concentration in investments. “When it comes to recruiting, you have to be sure that you want New York, and people on the other end of the application will sense it if you don’t really want it. This was a way for me to experience it and say that yes, I really want to try for New York.”
Between visits to firms, Wall made sure to expose students to what life would be like in the city, taking them to his favorite pizza place and instructing them on how to use the subway. The trip is about more than just networking with alumni — it’s a way for students to holistically evaluate whether life on Wall Street is for them.
According to junior finance major Andrea Kulpins, the concept worked.
“You hear all the time that New York has a different energy, but the second that we touched down and got in the city, we all felt how quickly everything was moving. Taking that all in was a highlight of the trip,” Kulpins says.
If AIM’s 20 years of success with strong job placements is any indication, these future financiers will be a part of that hustle and bustle themselves before long.
