Photo by Jeff Fusco
Vanessa Stoltzfus
BSBA finance and economics ’21
The Co-op
My first co-op was in BlackRock’s office in Princeton, New Jersey, where I worked as a trade desk assistant, trading municipal bonds that are issued by cities, counties, states and other government entities to finance major capital projects, like building schools or highways. In that role, I executed trades in excess of $50 million, worked with portfolio managers and monitored fund compliance. I completed a second co-op as a cash management trade assistant in the company’s Philadelphia office, trading different kinds of bonds and taking part in risk and strategy meetings with the cash management team and the municipal group. Along the way, I interacted with high-profile clients spanning corporations, governments and nonprofits.
The Object
My one essential tool is my laptop — it’s like an office that I can carry around with me. My laptop allows me to keep up with real-time changes in the markets and correspond with clients — all while on the go!
The Takeaway
My experience in an elite investment institution threw a lifetime of opportunity my way. I was able to find numerous mentors whose interests aligned with mine. The process prepared me for work with a broad array of institutional investors, doing research and helping them devise custom strategies that meet their cash-flow needs.