Ryan Smith

A thrill to an intern in finance: walking down Madison Avenue in a sea of suits every morning alongside investment analysts, stock brokers, bankers. Ryan Smith makes the trek daily from his subway stop at Lexington Ave. and 51 St. on the way to his finance internship, where the typical work day is 12 hours (and sometimes 15 or 16).

The economics and sports management major discovered through a series of internships the previous three summers that he wants to excel in finance first, then pursue a career in the sports industry second. There is serious work involved on the path to succeeding in two very competitive industries, but Smith is undeterred.

“I think a big thing is to just persevere and never give up,” he said. “It is definitely difficult at times. Knowing how to leverage yourself, sell yourself, and communicate is just incredibly important.” Smith spent the summer in New York City thanks in part to the LSA Opportunity Hub, which provided funding support and connected him with a finance experience the previous summer.