We just wanted to Paws and say Thanks

Julio Saraiva ’22 has learned a lot in his four years at Baruch College. As a financial mathematics major, Saraiva had the chance to learn from renowned professors, some of whom are leading the development of financial mathematics. But at Baruch, his education wasn’t limited to the classroom.

As a member of Baruch’s Investment Management Group, Saraiva is part of a group of ambitious students who manage a real-money long only equities portfolio of nearly $1 million, generously lent by the Baruch College Fund (BCF), creating a strong pipeline for students like Saraiva who plan to pursue careers on Wall Street. Similarly, through Baruch’s Financial Leadership Program, part of the Starr Career Development Center, Saravia was mentored by industry professionals and received intensive training on technical, leadership, and professional skills tailored for aspiring financiers.

“Baruch is full of ambitious and hardworking students, and these clubs provide support for those of us looking to enter the world of finance,” he says. “It’s been nice to have the support of established professionals to train you, but also the balance of a student-run club where we can support one another.”  

While Saraiva credits experiences, like these, for preparing him for his next chapter—he’ll join CIBC Capital Markets as an analyst this summer—as a scholarship recipient, he understands none of this would have been possible without the funds that made his education possible in the first place. For four years, Saraiva attended Baruch tuition-free because of the generosity of BCF donors, an opportunity which meant his personal aspirations wouldn’t be limited by his financial standing.

“I come from an immigrant family, with two older brothers who recently graduated college, so money was a huge consideration for me,” he says. “At Baruch, I knew I was getting the best education, and I wasn’t sacrificing quality for price.”

Now, as he looks back on his Baruch experience, Saraiva can appreciate the role that Baruch played in exploring his passion for finance, all while having the financial freedom to fully immerse himself in every aspect of Baruch student life.  

“Baruch is in the center of the city and there are so many opportunities to visit banks, attend events, and network with industry professionals,” he says. “Without my scholarship I would have been working another job, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to attend nearly half of these events. It’s encouraging to know that there are people who want us, and enable us, to do our best.” •

As a senior marketing major at Baruch, Electra Economopoulos ’23 has her hands full: she sits on the board of Baruch’s Women in Business chapter—where she also serves as vice president of membership development—is actively involved in the Starr Career Development Center, and now, as an intern with the Bank of Montreal. But, according to Economopoulos, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Being at Baruch, I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity I possibly could. There are so many opportunities the College is known for, and works hard to provide its students,” she says. “I wanted to make sure I was getting the most of out of my time here.”

Through signature Baruch programs like Executives on Campus (EOC), the Rising Starr Sophomore Program (RSSP), and the Financial Women’s Association Mentoring Program (FWA), Economopoulos and countless students just like her are preparing for successful futures right now at Baruch. These critical programs are a cornerstone of the Baruch student experience, providing opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to explore careers by building valuable mentoring relationships, fostering career readiness skills, and creating opportunities to network with Baruch alumni and industry leaders.  

“As early as my sophomore year, I was learning to interact with business professionals in a mentorship relationship,” she says. “Marketing is so broad, and I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, so my mentor was really influential and helpful as I started to plan for my career.”

Economopoulos, who participated in both EOC and RSSP, credits the relationships she built in FWA for helping her secure her summer internship. While these career readiness programs certainly prepared her for the interview and selection process, most importantly, they strengthened skills she’ll carry with her for years, she says.

“It’s easy to just go to classes, and then just go back to your personal life,” says Economopoulos. “Being a part of these communities has pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to try new things, which has already proven to be really beneficial.” •

Over the course of the last three years, Shaurya Taparia ’23 has certainly carved out a place for herself at Baruch: she is the executive president of Women in Business, serves as an advisor for Wall Street Club, is a Peer for Career at the Starr Career Development Center, and has interned with Annaly Capital Management and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to name a few. So, for the computer information systems data analytics major and member of the Zicklin Honors program, with a self-proclaimed passion for leadership and service, Baruch’s Technology Leadership Program (TLDP) seemed like a perfect match for Taparia.

The Technology Leadership Development Program (TLDP), which sits within Starr, is a year-long program dedicated to the professional development and advancement of students with a strong passion for a career in technology. It was created to help students become more aware about the vast opportunities in technology, and for Taparia, it did just that.

“I was interested in the intersection of finance and technology, but I wanted to explore this area further,” she says. “TLDP helped me navigate a variety of careers in tech, giving me a platform to learn more about the industry, gain hands on experience, and exposed me to a number of professionals in the industry.”

On top of building her career path, Taparia began volunteering with the program, conducting resume reviews, mock interviews, and LinkedIn and professional coaching for her fellow TLDP peers, an opportunity that played an unexpected role in her own development. “Being a part of the growth and journey of my peers helped me evaluate my own skills and shifted my perspective to the other side of the table, allowing me to analyze the elements professionals are looking for.”

As Taparia prepares for her next venture, an investment banking internship with BNP Paribas on their Debt Capital Markets desk, she is incredibly grateful for the insights she gained during her time in TLDP. “It may seem contradictory that I’m going into a front-office finance position, but TLDP shaped my knowledge of how big of a role technology and data play in any industry that you go into,” she says. “The experience I gained from TLDP is an extremely powerful tool to have.”

Immersing herself in life at Baruch proved to be one of the greatest outcomes of her college experience to date, says Taparia, something of which she encourages others to take advantage. “Baruch students are go-getters and have a lot of potential. If you place opportunities in front of us, we will grab and make the most of them to achieve and grow boundlessly with one another.” •