My journey with J.P. Morgan began in the summer of 2014 as an intern back home in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Being attached to the Chief Administrative Officer, I gained a good knowledge of the operations of a corporate & investment bank and the many roles involved. However, it was the people that made a lasting impression on me. They made my decision to return in the fall of 2015 an easy one.

I am currently a part of the Corporate Analyst Development Program, a rotational program, which allows me to explore various departments within the bank. In addition to this, I am also a Credit Analyst within the Credit Risk division and will be moving to Local Market Sales come February 2017. I have had the opportunity to be attached to Equity Research as well as Global Market Operations for my previous two rotations.

I chose to be enrolled in a Development Program after multiple internship experiences. I believe it was only through various internships that I was able to decide the kind of career that I was interested in and the type of setting I enjoyed working in. Having gone through different internship programs, I knew that it was essential for me to be a part of a structured program early on in my career, as it allowed me to have a group of friends that would act as supporting pillars. Learning from one another's successes and failures, we were able to overcome challenges together. It was through comparing multiple internships, where I felt that I became more equipped with a better network in structured programs compared to the reverse.

Among the challenges I face in the financial industry is understanding my passion and the role I play within it. One would have to experience, endure, and question one's own motivation before settling for a division/career that suits them best. Personally, I believe that the Development Program afforded me the privilege to determine the role I would eventually pursue.

I would have liked to have had a good mentor to provide me with a more in-depth description of the different roles within the industry. The responsibility was definitely on me to seek out such a mentor, but, by being a generally reserved person, I did not seek much help before applying for internships and jobs. Looking back, I would have approached it slightly differently, and I would have asked more of the right questions more confidently.

Furman has prepared me well in providing the necessary technical skills, mentorship, internships, as well as study abroad opportunities. One grant that I was grateful to receive was Furman Advantage, which provided me not only a financial stipend, but also the guidance for summer internship application.

I was also fortunate to be able to be a part of the Brussels Study Away Program that included an internship at the European Parliament, which improved upon my existing skills and allowed me the opportunity to learn more about the European political system first hand. This has also allowed me to approach problem solving from more angles which helped me accept broader outlook of the world. Being an Economics and Political Science major, I enjoyed classes that relates to real world examples and applications, which I have applied and implemented at my workplace.

Aside from the core curriculum, I believe taking classes in social and economic development has been useful in expanding my thought processes. I believe in any successful career technical skills are essential and can be learned within a standard period of time. However, Furman's economic classes has challenged me to look further into the interconnectedness of the economic system which I believe builds essential and fundamental character that can be applied across every career. For me, classroom activities and presentation helped me effectively communicate my ideas. Field trips and in-depth debate/discussion also made a lasting impression compared to notes. For example, there was also a class in which I had the opportunity to visit cotton mills after studying about it, placing a physical perspective into my imagination, which allowed me to connect the dots in the story that the author and professor are trying to convey.

I have undergone multiple internships related to my economics major, banking as well as consulting. I have had the guidance of my professors throughout the entire time. My highlight from my experience within the economics department was the ability to sit down with professors during office hours and outside office hours to gather their honest and awe-inspiring insight into various worldly economic issues and for their continuous guidance and support, which I am truly grateful for.