New York Speaker Series: Conversation with Jonathan Pruzan, A90, and Jonathan Tisch, A76
Jonathan Pruzan, A90
On February, 20, TFN held its annual Speaker Series in New York City at Morgan Stanley.
Jonathan Tisch, A76, Chairman and CEO, Loews Hotel and Co-Chairman of the Board, Loews Corporation, facilitated an in-depth conversation with Jonathan Pruzan, A90, CFO, Morgan Stanley.
Joined by an audience of alumni and parents, the industry leaders covered a range of topics, from challenges facing the finance industry to managing changes in government regulation. In addition, they discussed leadership styles and the value of a liberal arts education, like that at Tufts.
Afterward, the speakers fielded questions from the audience. A post-event reception also offered opportunities for additional engagement and networking among attendees.
To view more photos from the gathering, click here.
Alumni of Color Breakfast, New York City
Riyadh Mohammed, A06; Elizabeth Amador Salem, J91, A22P; Janice Savin-Williams, J79; and Lawrence Kwon, A99.
On April 24, TFN hosted its first event designed specifically for alumni of color in New York City at Aretsky’s Patroon. Developed by Riyadh Mohammed, A06, Vice President, The Carlyle Group, the program aimed to strengthen connections among alumni of color working in financial services and to provide a forum to discuss issues faced in the workplace.
Twenty alumni of all ages and diverse backgrounds in finance attended the breakfast and panel discussion. The speakers included: Lawrence Kwon, A99, Managing Director, Moelis & Company; Elizabeth Amador Salem, J91, A22P, Vice President, Strategic Program Management, Law & Franchise Integrity, MasterCard; and Janice Savin-Williams, J79, Co-founder and Sr. Principal, Williams Capital Group.
The group covered topics from advancement and self-promotion in the workplace to developing a culture of belonging. After the event, Mohammed, who also moderated the discussion, shared his enthusiasm for the gathering, saying that “TFN programs always offer alumni the opportunity to learn, think strategically, and engage with our peers in the financial services. I was delighted that we could expand upon this model and offer alumni of color an additional forum to discuss some of the unique circumstances we experience as professionals.”
He added, “Several alumni mentioned to me this was the first time issues like this were discussed so openly. It is truly remarkable we have such a vibrant and diverse Tufts community here in New York. I hope next year we can bring together an even larger group.”
Alumni-Intern Gatherings, New York City and Boston
Students and alumni at the annual summer intern gathering
This summer, TFN continued to host a series of events that connected alumni and current students with summer internships in financial services in New York City and Boston.
The first two gatherings, held in New York City, included a lunch on July 17 at Cellini and a breakfast the following day at Pershing Café. In Boston, another group met downtown at Serafina for lunch on July 30. Among the three events, nearly 20 alumni and more than 30 students attended, taking short breaks from their positions at organizations like Morgan Stanley, Fidelity Investments, Mayflower Advisors, Wayfair and FTV Capital, to name a few.
TFN has hosted these small events for the past several years, and Kevin Magid, A85, Managing Director of Audax Group and member of the TFN Advisory Committee, has been an active participant. Magid offered welcoming remarks at the New York lunch and encouraged the students to take the opportunity to expand their professional networks and ask questions of the professionals in the room. “Attending is also a great way for alumni to connect with Tufts today,” said Magid. “What we hope students appreciate is that these events are just as enjoyable for us, the alums, as they are valuable for them.”
He added, “Year after year, these budding young professionals continue to impress with their enthusiasm to gather advice and to think strategically about their careers. It also makes you proud of the role TFN has played in strengthening the opportunities available to them.”
To learn more about how you can hire a Tufts intern next summer, visit the Alumni & Friends web site and scroll to the section titled “Connect to the Jumbo Career Network.”
Women on Wall Street Day
Student and alumnae attendees of the 2019 women’s luncheon.
Since 2015, TFN has hosted an annual event for women in financial services in New York City to strengthen the Tufts community of alumnae professionals. This April, we partnered this gathering with “Women on Wall Street Day,” an empowering program that brought 17 current students to the city to learn and network with Tufts alumni and other industry leaders.
Organized by Tufts Career Center, “Women on Wall Street Day” is a travel program made possible by a generous gift to Tufts Finance Initiative. While anonymous, the program’s donor is a successful businesswoman in her own right, who desired to designate her support to create inclusive academic and professional experiences for Tufts students, including young women. As a result, all expenses, including transit and food, were provided.
The day kicked off at Credit Suisse, where Jill Ford, J93, Managing Director/Head of ECM Americas Syndicate, organized a panel of colleagues to discuss the world of finance and Credit Suisse’s Women’s Mentor Program. In the afternoon, the students also toured the trading floor at Credit Suisse before heading to FTV Capital, where Managing Director and TFN Advisory Committee member Brad Bernstein, A89, hosted the group for a discussion about the types of skills needed to work in private equity and the skills they could expect to gain in this sector. FTV staff also walked the students through example investments to help broaden their understanding of the mechanics of private equity.
5th Annual Women’s Event
Featured speakers Dana Herrman, J91, and Shikha Jindal, A07.
Designed specifically for Tufts alumnae and parents working in financial services and related fields, the Women’s Event is an annual gathering of finance professionals in New York City. This year’s event was unique as it offered alumnae the opportunity to connect with students directly on their turf in the epicenter of business.
Credit Suisse hosted the group for lunch, and 25 Tufts alumnae attended. With students, there were more than 40 participants, who spread across several tables for informal conversations, advice gathering and networking. For the speaking program, Dana Herrman, J91, Senior Vice President at Sanford Bernstein and member of the TFN Advisory Committee, and Shikha Jindal, A07, Director at Barclays, interviewed one another on career trajectories and the challenges and opportunities facing future hires across industries and sectors.
Herrman noted in her remarks how much the industry has changed since launching her career in the early 90s, and that working the trade desk was always her favorite position. “In a time when all industries are changing and feeling the squeeze of automation, it was fun to reflect with this group of motivated and energized young professionals that some constants remain,” said Herrman. She added, “working the trade desk is a great way to start your career and I enjoyed sharing the valuable lessons and skills I gained in this space. I hope they found it helpful, too.”
Jindal commented on the need to develop skills early and leverage your networks as you pursue growth and the next challenge. “Students have big aspirations and bigger hurdles to overcome when they are attempting to launch their careers after Tufts,” she said. “Events like this are so valuable for both the alumnae and students because they bring together individuals with mutual experiences, most notably our ties to Tufts, and provide an intimate space to network, share resources and discuss challenges.”
This spring, TFN will host the 6th annual Women’s Event in New York City. To express your interest in attending, e-mail tfn@tufts.edu. To view photos of the 5th annual event, click here.