When Daniel Curran set out to find an internship with the help of St. Thomas Aquinas College’s Career Center, he was offered an opportunity to work alongside established finance executives at Ridgewood Savings Bank. In the process, he gained invaluable experience and insights that will help pave the way for success in his future career.
“The internship has proved to be a highlight of my college experience thus far. I was lucky enough to be mentored by two wonderful executives at the bank who were generous with their time and knowledge,” he says.
Daniel first met with Maureen Mulhern, STAC’s Director of Career Development, who connected him with the internship opportunity. After communicating with the bank’s hiring manager and practicing mock interviews at the Career Center, he landed the role. Daniel worked directly with two high-level executives: the first vice president and chief investment officer and an assistant vice president and investment officer.
In his day-to-day job, he completed tasks related to the bank’s portfolio, such as analyzing potential investments for recommendation and compiling month and year-end reports. Daniel says that the internship also gave him the opportunity to thoroughly practice using the Bloomberg terminal, a hub financial analysts use to research real-time data, news, and analytics. This assisted him in some of his other responsibilities which included analyzing bonds and presenting recommendations for new investment opportunities. Since the internship, Daniel is looking forward to finding a permanent position in finance after graduation.
“It was a fabulous experience that I credit with influencing the career path that I hope to pursue once I graduate,” he says.
Another meaningful experience Daniel has had as a student at STAC was participating in the College Fed Challenge. The competition, sponsored by the Federal Reserve System of the United States, gives teams of college students the chance to learn the inner workings of the U.S. economy and monetary policy, conduct independent research, and develop their presentation and communication skills. In the end, the students deliver a final presentation alongside students from other universities at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Daniel considers the challenge a “turning point” in his educational journey that greatly inspired him to continue pursuing the field.
“Participating in the Fed Challenge was an awesome experience. I learned so much about the economy, analytics, and more importantly the benefits of teamwork,” he says. “It was definitely labor- and time-intensive, but always enjoyable.”
On campus, Daniel is an integral part of student life. He is grateful to be part of incoming first-year students’ experiences at STAC as an orientation leader, and supporting his peers as a resident assistant. He is also president of both the Business and Investment clubs and currently serves as the chief justice of the Mental Health Club.
“When you come to STAC you are getting so much more than just a top-notch education,” he says. “Being at STAC makes you want to do your best. The environment and culture foster a feeling of wanting to be part of all the good that happens here, both in the classroom and on campus.”