Ivan Agyaakwah ’25 will be presenting on Furman Engagged about his time working in the financial industry in the summer of 2023.
Furman senior Ivan Agyaakwa encountered mergers and acquisitions, investment banking, and other aspects of high-stakes finance during an internship last summer., Get a glimpse of a potential career.
“You can see it in the movies,” he said. “But seeing it live was really exciting.”
On Friday, the 23-year-old will share that experience with other students at Furman Engaged. This day is set aside for students to share research, study abroad, internships, performances, and other work.
A native of London, England, Mr. Agyaakwa double majored in economics, political science and international affairs and spent an internship at The Capital Corporation, an investment banking firm based in Greenville.
Agyakwa said he spent his days attending calls with buyers and sellers, creating Excel spreadsheets and researching companies that might be suitable for investment.
One of the highlights, he said, was his interaction with Capital Corporation Vice President Paul Gallagher ’07 and Chief Operating Officer Devin Green, who shared insights and knowledge.
“The best part of this experience was the opportunity to talk to someone very experienced about the business,” he said. “If you’re talking to an investment banker and you don’t know what you’re talking about, they can figure it out.”
Agyaakwa said Katie Maxwell and Furman’s internship program prepared her well for her career at the bank, with networking calls, practice interviews, and preparation to step foot in the field. That’s what it means.
“This really prepared me for the interview questions,” he said. “You need to stand out. And here in the internship office, we have a lot of resources that make it easy for us.”
Mr. Agyaakwa will discuss his work at Capital Corporation during a panel discussion at Furman Engaged, as well as give students looking for financial internships a better idea about investment banking.
“The main thing I want to say is, what is an investment bank?” he said. “People think it’s a high-income role, but they don’t know what it is: debt capital, M&A (mergers and acquisitions), investment capital.”
After I graduate in December, I hope to take another summer internship and eventually get a job at an investment bank.
But as captain of the Furman men’s soccer team, midfielder Agyaakwa wants to play professional soccer first. He hopes to try out with different teams and sign a contract.
“My biggest dream is to return to Europe,” he said. “But maybe I’ll play here as well.”
Agyakwa, who was a finalist in the Paladin Pitch Competition last year for his business idea that connects college soccer coaches with young players in the area, said he loves his time at Furman. In addition to his studies, he said it helped him build confidence and provided him with opportunities to expand his interests, for example by joining a campus group focused on the culture and traditions of the African continent. Told.
“It was better than I expected,” he said. “Once you step on campus, I don’t think anything could have been better. It was a huge kick.”
Furman’s engagement date is April 12, 2024.
The Furman Advantage ensures that students have the opportunity to participate in high-impact, engaged learning experiences. Furman Engaged is a day dedicated to highlighting these diverse and immersive learning experiences. Learn more >>
