Finance and Banking

Explore careers in finance and banking by exploring the links below. Found a career you're interested in? Stop by our office or make an appointment via Handshake with a career advisor and begin networking to learn more.

Quicklinks: Job and Internship Resources | Student Organizations and Departmental Resources | Alumni to Know

Job and Internship Resources

*Please note that finance job listings are often found through Handshake or by searching individual companies' websites. The resources listed below provide tips to grab those opportunities.

General Resources:

Commercial Banking
Corporate Banking 101
Equity Research - Wall Street Mojo guide
Finance Walk - Any and all information regarding the hedge fund industry
Investment Banking vs Equity Research
Mergers and Inquisitions - Help break into the finance industry and how to thrive once you're in
The Trade - The TRADE delivers insight to trading professionals at the world's largest asset managers and investment banks, and boasts an audience that includes buy-side dealers, high frequency traders, fund managers, sell-side brokers, FinTech innovators and regulators.
Wall Street Prep - Information on industry, interview preparation, salary and career paths
What is Corporate Finance? - Breakdown of industry

News Resources:

Bloomberg
CNN Money
Corporate Finance
Market Watch
Morning Brew - Daily email with updates of market trends, mergers and acquisitions & more
Wall Street Journal
WealthManagement.com - Resource for independent editorial expertise and proven financial services

Resources for Purchase:

Beating the Street - Strategies for investing and offers advice on how to pick stocks and mutual funds to assemble a successful porfolio
Careers in Finance - Harvard Business School's Guide
Goldman Sachs Sales and Trading Internships
Hedge Fund Book - A Training Manual for Professionals and Capital-Raising Executives
How to Get a Job on Wall Street - Written by our very own Professor Scott Hoover, this book contains sample questions and acts as a personal coach for landing an internship.
Interest Rates, Swaps and Other Derivatives
Investment Banks, Hedge Funds, and Private Equity
Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders
Masters of Private Equity and Venture Capital
The Best Book on Getting an IBanking Internship - Written by a former analyst at UBS, JP Morgan & FT Partners, this book covers the interview preparation and how to handle the 90 hour work weeks.
The Fast Track - The Insider's Guide to Winning Jobs in Managment Consulting, Investment Banking, & Securities Trading
Wall Street Prep Interviewing Pack - Tips on technology, fit, and networking as well as financial modeling training
Working the Street - Written by a former Managing Director at Merrill Lynch, this book is a great resource for how to build a successful career in finance.

Student Organizations & Departmental Resources

Real Estate Society - The Real Estate Society is a co-curricular group in which students manage a real estate fund. Students work in teams to research commercial and residential real estate projects, preparing and publishing market reports and coming back to the group with recommendations about which projects to fund.
Student Consulting - Washington and Lee Student Consulting (WLSC) is a student organization created to provide pro bono consulting services to businesses and not-for-profit community organizations. Our clients have included local, national, and international non-profit and for-profit businesses.
Venture Club - The Venture Club was established in 2010 to help students from across campus learn about start-ups in a hands-on environment. During the term, students meet on a weekly basis to listen to guest speakers, plan and promote events such as the Entrepreneurship Summit, and work on consulting projects for start-ups.
Williams Investment Society (WIS) - The Williams Investment Society is a student organization that manages a portion of Washington and Lee University's endowment in equity securities. The Society's purpose is to provide students with a forum to develop their interest in investments and financial analysis by giving them the opportunity to actively manage real capital.

Alumni To Know

One of the best ways to explore careers and find job opportunities is to network with progressional. Below are some alumni who have experience in the field and have volunteered to be a resource. To connect with someone, log in to Colonnade Connections and find their contact information. Not sure how to begin networking? Stop by our office to get started.

Contact Alumni

Leah Burton '16

Leah Burton is a Sr. Portfolio Manager for the Seniors Housing & Healthcare Lending (“SHHL”) group at Synovus Bank in Birmingham, Alabama. She facilitates the day-to-day management of an existing corporate and middle-market customer portfolio and works alongside Corporate Bankers to conduct underwriting of new credits. The SHHL group currently has over $2 billion in commitments across 85 relationships and 340 facilities. Previously, Leah was a Portfolio Associate for the Real Estate and Lender Finance groups at MidCap Financial Services, LLC, a middle market-focused specialty finance firm based in Bethesda, Maryland, that provides senior debt solutions to companies across all industries. Leah graduated from W&L with a B.S. in Accounting and Business Administration.

Lauren Morea McDonough '08

Lauren Morea McDonough is the Director of Investor Relations at Kohlberg & Company, a middle market private equity firm. Prior to that, she was a Senior Vice President of Marketing and Client Relations at Marathon Asset Management, a credit hedge fund. She joined Marathon in 2014 after graduating from Columbia Business School. While in business school, Ms. McDonough interned in fundraising at Z Capital and portfolio analytics and marketing at Oaktree Capital. Prior to entering business school, she was an Associate at Blueshirt Group where she managed investor relations for public technology, internet and consumer-focused clients. Ms. McDonough began her career at J.P. Morgan's investment bank as an Analyst on the syndicated and leveraged finance team. Ms. McDonough holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Washington and Lee University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.

Court Nexsen '08

Court Nexsen is a Senior Vice President and Private Client Advisor with Bank of America Private Bank. Court works closely with high net worth individuals, families, and institutions to help address their complex financial needs and distinctive priorities. He leads a team of specialists that provide in-depth knowledge in multiple wealth disciplines: investment management, trust and estate planning, credit, liquidity event strategies, family office services, and philanthropy. He takes a highly personalized approach, marshalling both local resources and national capabilities to help advance client aims.

Brian Seliber '12

After graduating with a degree in Business Administration and minor in Mass Communications in 2012, Brian began his career in the Management Development Program at M&T Bank. He was placed in a retail branch in the Greater Washington, D.C. area, and participated in numerous training assignments and networking opportunities in Buffalo, NY, and Baltimore, MD, throughout the training program as well. Brian has since ascended to the role of Commercial Branch Manager, and have earned his FINRA Series 6 and 63 certifications, along with his life insurance license. M&T Bank's management program provides tremendous exposure to banking, and offers a well-rounded experience for those interested in a career in the financial services industry.