This summer, Joe Rossman ’27, a finance major from Princeton, New Jersey, has a summer analyst internship with the Banks & Broker-Dealers Coverage team at Bank of New York (BNY) in its New York City office.
Why did you decide to pursue this experience?
I wanted the opportunity to work at one of the world’s largest and respected financial institutions while gaining hands-on experience in client relationship management and banking. The Banks & Broker-Dealers Coverage team offered the chance to work with some of the industry’s largest financial institutions, deepen my understanding of the financial services sector, and apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world client work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
When I’m pulling together industry research or working through a client’s financial profile, I’m not starting from scratch. I have a real framework to work from that I built in the classroom.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Every day is a little different but there’s a general rhythm to it. I usually start the morning catching up on market news and anything relevant to our client base. Since we cover banks and broker dealers, Fed policy moves, regulatory changes, and major bank earnings are all directly relevant to our clients.
From there most of my day is analytical work, building research reports, pulling together financial data, and preparing materials that the senior bankers use in client meetings and briefings. A big part of the role is making sure the relationship managers have exactly what they need before they walk into a client conversation.
I also sit in on internal meetings and occasionally client calls, which has been really valuable for seeing how experienced bankers think about relationships and identify opportunities. And throughout the day there are always ad hoc requests coming in, so learning to prioritize and deliver quality work quickly has probably been the biggest skill I’ve developed this summer.
How have your Muhlenberg experiences helped you in this work?
My finance and business management coursework gave me a strong technical foundation of financial statement analysis, corporate finance, valuation; all of which I’ve been able to apply immediately. When I’m pulling together industry research or working through a client’s financial profile, I’m not starting from scratch. I have a real framework to work from that I built in the classroom.
And studying abroad in Florence last fall, where I focused on international banking and international business, gave me a broader perspective on how financial systems and institutions operate across different markets. Given that we’re covering global institutional clients here at BNY, that international context has been more relevant than I expected.
What are you taking away from this internship?
This internship has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career. It has strengthened my technical knowledge, challenged me to think critically in a fast-paced environment, and shown me what it takes to build meaningful relationships with clients in the financial services industry. Beyond the work itself, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from talented professionals who have been incredibly supportive and willing to share their experiences. I’m grateful to BNY and everyone on the Banks & Broker-Dealers Coverage team for investing in my growth this summer, and I’m excited to carry the skills, confidence, and perspective I’ve gained into the next stage of my career.
