Have you ever wondered if your idea could become a reality? Going from having an idea to creating a company involves a lot of careful planning! If you have an idea that YOU want to make a reality, join us for this exciting event!

Our next event of the semester will be held on October 9th from 4-5pm in University Center 310. This talk will provide a framework for mapping out the steps you need to take to validate your startup idea. The key steps include:

• Internal Exploration & Research

• Building Your Idea with Trusted Advisors

• Going from Idea to Business Blueprint

• Customer Validation

• Building Your Team

• Continuous Improvement

Name:Hikaru Belzer

Pronouns:He/Him/His

Semester of Internship:Summer 2024

Major:Mathematics

Current Class Level:Senior

This semester I completed a(n)...:Internship

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site (Company/Organization Name):Morgan Stanley

Location of the Organization (City, State):Baltimore, MD

Title of position:Non-Financial Risk Analyst

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities:

During my internship, I worked on the Strategic Product Management Team, supporting scenario analysis and coverage. I acquired knowledge in Agile Project Management by assisting the Product Owner in leading a team of Software Developers, Quality Assurance Testers, and Analysts. Additionally, I had the opportunity to lead stakeholder meetings with international members (from London, Budapest, Mumbai, etc.) to guide the team in redesigning and documenting an improved workflow for the global scenario analysis program.

Some of the skills I gained include backlog management, UI/UX design, process management, data management, stakeholder management, and requirements gathering. I also conducted more than 20 interviews and created a SharePoint database for a program-long non-financial risk technology inventory project, which was shared firm-wide. We presented our findings to Executive Directors and senior management.

My day-to-day responsibilities involved joining meetings (both virtual and in-person) and networking with employees. I used a variety of tools, including Excel for writing user stories, PowerPoint for creating presentations and creating new workshop workflows, and JIRA for project management tasks. I also used ServiceNow to grant employee entitlements.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?:

I obtained my position by applying to the program online through Morgan Stanley's website. I applied on July 25, 2023. I sent my resume, and soon afterward, I was contacted through email for the next steps. The first step involved a phone call where I was asked questions. This call was intended to make sure I was prepared to move on to the next stage. Then, the next step was an in-person interview day, which was called "Superday." During this day, I had multiple interviews, each one with a different person, and a group project with other interviewees.

About two weeks after this process, I received a phone call from the recruiter in the morning, and they told me that I had been accepted for the position. I was officially extended an offer on November 15, 2023, and this was when I logged onto the online portal and accepted it there.

What resources did you use to find your current experience?:

Handshake

What have you enjoyed the most about your position and organization?:

I enjoyed having the opportunity to get in-depth experience working at a large financial company. I enjoyed making connections with other employees the most. The process of networking and working with my manager and team was an exciting aspect.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?:

I believe I made an impact by contributing significantly to the team. I helped my manager redesign the entire new workflow for the scenario analysis program we were working on, and the team will continue to use my work. Additionally, the NFR Technology Inventory project I made with a group of other interns was shared with the Legal and Compliance Division in Baltimore, so employees will continue to use that.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?:

I would advise another student to focus on developing skills that show they are taking initiative. Creating your own projects, your own club, or another original idea will greatly enhance your resume. Focus on diversifying your skills while maintaining high grades and other commitments.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.:

I enjoyed working with my team the most and establishing a connection with my manager and mentors. The Career Center helped me prepare and adjust my resume before applying to the position.

This week we're creating posters for the rest of October, hopefully we'll have a poster every week until the election (including a Halloween poster). At Monday's meeting (5pm at Meyerhoff lecture hall) we'll look at some poster ideas and create alternative choices, before deciding which poster to use for next week. There will also be movie night, and free pizza, if the attendees insist.

Thursday's meeting (7pm at 206 Public Policy building) we will be deciding which political candidates to invite to campus to speak to students. This will also include movie night and free pizza, if the attendees insist.

Ideas for pamphlets, merchandise, and an on-campus debate will also be discussed at these meetings.

As always movie suggestions are welcome, but the selection of movies I've thus far been given this week include the following:

Maverick (a Western not the Tom Cruise movie)

Escape From New York

Casino

Papillion (1973)

Patton

Robocop