Center For Venture Capital, Private Equity and Entrepreneurial Finance

From an Associate

I am a senior finance major. Over the past summer I had the opportunity to intern at J.P. Morgan, as a summer analyst in their Financial Sponsors Group in Chicago. This group provides banking services to private equity firms looking to acquire, add-on to, or sell middle-market companies. While working with the team, I was able to run models to determine deal pricing, scout prospective sponsors and targets, and make connections between companies looking to sell and sponsors looking to buy. I also was involved in the making of deal materials and attended diligence meetings. I will be returning to the firm this upcoming summer to begin my career in banking.

My experience with the Center for Venture Investing began with participating in the Student Venture Capital Fund (SVCF) my junior year. This interactive investment opportunity provided by the CVI allowed me to gain experience evaluating companies, conducting due diligence and industry research, and pitching prospective investments. During this process I learned about investment strategies of VC/PE funds, company evaluation techniques, and the VC/PE industry as a whole. This experience was a key reason why I discovered my passion for venture investing and played a large role in my decision to start my career in this field.

I am currently involved in leading the SVCF as a Learning Assistant for Entrepreneurial Finance. I have found it rewarding to share my knowledge and experience with students who are in the class. Offering the opportunity to gain this hands-on education allows MSU to produce the next generation of leaders in the venture investing industry and gives our students the ability to enter the industry with a higher level of understanding than their peers.