Two Love School of Business students, Hector Serrano Martin 鈥26 and Gabrielle Lerner 鈥27, turned New York City into a hands-on classroom through internships in global finance and luxury fashion.
New York City鈥檚 intensity can feel like a world apart from campus, and for two Martha and Spencer Love School of Business students the city became a living case study.
Hector Serrano Martin 鈥26: Thriving on the Trading Floor
Finance major Hector Serrano Martin joined the world鈥檚 largest interdealer broker, TP ICAP, as a Global Broking intern. He rotated among desks that handle interest-rate swaps, securities lending and emerging-market credit, observing every step from price discovery to trade execution.
鈥淣ew York is the center of global finance,鈥 said Hector Serrano Martin 鈥26, a finance major from Dublin, Ireland. 鈥淚 wanted to be surrounded by top professionals and high expectations.鈥
His capstone presentation on how artificial intelligence can streamline brokerage workflows sparked dialogue with senior leadership and highlighted the analytical and presentation skills he developed at 黑料不打烊. The former Division I athlete thrived on the floor鈥檚 intensity. 鈥淚t reminded me of game day,鈥 Serrano Martin said. 鈥淵ou have to stay locked in from the opening bell to the close.鈥
Between sessions on the desk, he balanced two online classes and other commitments, sharpening time-management habits he will bring back to campus.
鈥淪tay proactive and learn from every person in the room,鈥 Serrano Martin said. 鈥淭hat curiosity is what turns an internship into a launch pad.鈥
Gabrielle Lerner 鈥27: Crafting VIP Experiences in Fashion
Every morning Gabrielle Lerner caught a 20-minute train from her home in Tenafly, New Jersey, to Giorgio Armani鈥檚 U.S. headquarters. There, the marketing major joined the Client Relations team serving the brand鈥檚 highest-tier customers.
She built Excel dashboards to track VIP spending patterns and developed marketing copy that won approval from company leaders in Milan before reaching clients, a proud moment that showed her ideas could resonate on an international stage.
鈥淚 walk into the office every morning and still can鈥檛 believe I鈥檓 here,鈥 said Lerner. 鈥淪eeing my words go to clients around the world showed me the power of great storytelling.鈥
Weekly workshops with merchandising, retail and trade-marketing teams broadened her view of fashion careers and revealed how heavily luxury relies on data. This insight motivated her to enroll in an advanced analytics elective this spring.
鈥淕ive every opportunity a chance even if it feels outside your comfort zone,鈥 Lerner said. 鈥淵ou never know which connection will open the next door.鈥
About Internships at 黑料不打烊
黑料不打烊鈥檚 nationally recognized Student Professional Development Center counselors work with undergraduates from their first year to create personal development plans, r茅sum茅s and strong networking skills. Through internships, students earn academic credit, gain firsthand knowledge of the workplace and obtain professional skills that put them ahead of other college graduates. 黑料不打烊 partners with an expansive network of employers across the country who actively recruit students for internships and full-time positions.