Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2023
(l to r) Mmesoma Ezeudu, Hailey Butler, and Feria Nji won second place in final competition of Goldman Sachs Market Madness: HBCU Possibilities competition.
Three Texas Southern University students placed second overall in the final case study competition in The Goldman Sachs Market Madness: HBCU Possibilities Program. The presentation was held April 24 at the Goldman Sachs corporate headquarters in New York City where the group earned a $500,000 prize, which will be awarded directly to the University, in addition to scholarships for each participating student.
“I am beyond proud of our three scholars who represented Texas Southern University with excellence on the biggest stage of their young professional lives to date,” said TSU president Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young. “The Goldman Sachs Market Madness: HBCU Possibilities Program provides students with an opportunity to put what they’ve learned in the classroom into practice while engaging with one of the top investment banks and financial services companies in the world.”
The global investment banking, securities and investment management firm launched year three of the program this semester as a cornerstone of its $25 million, five-year commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This year, teams from five HBCUs (Howard University, Florida A&M University, Morgan State University, Spelman College and Texas Southern University) presented their final case. This was the capstone event of an immersive semester-long crash course in key financial concepts.
“This program creates a pipeline of talented students of color into corporate America, helping to increase representation in critical industries and dispel the myth that there was ever a lack of Black talent,” says Dr. David Yen, dean of the Jesse H. Jones School of Business. “The performance of our students in this competition demonstrates the myriad opportunities available to scholars who choose to further their education at Texas Southern University.”
The three scholars who represented TSU were:
Feria Nji (sophomore, computer science major): “The Goldman Sachs Market Madness: HBCU Possibilities Program, to me, is an opportunity to learn financial concepts from industry experts themselves and gain invaluable insight into the culture at Goldman Sachs. Through this program, I also hope to get a better understanding of what a career in the financial industry looks like and grow my network which could in turn help me land a job/internship in the industry.”
Hailey Butler (sophomore, finance major): “To be accepted for a program from such an esteemed firm is an honor! My passion is to work in the finance industry and everyday I’m getting closer to that! I’m grateful and proud that I get to further my knowledge and represent my HBCU, especially for Caribbean students. I plan to successfully graduate with a BBA in finance in 2025, become an investment banker and one day make an impact in the financial services industry in The Bahamas.”
Mmesoma Ezeudu (sophomore, computer science major/finance minor): “As part of The Goldman Sachs Market Madness: HBCU Possibilities Program, I have had the opportunity to develop professionally through mentoring sessions, teamwork projects, and networking events. Over the next few years, I hope to become a software engineer and use this experience to break into finance while working on my own start-up company.”
“At Goldman Sachs, we believe in the power of HBCUs and their students,” says Erika Coleman, the Global Head of Diversity Recruiting. “We know Texas Southern University plays a substantial role in our society and communities and we want to establish a partnership by investing in the students for a more equitable future.”
The program provided TSU business students with a hands-on and comprehensive technical training experience, and multiple networking opportunities with other members of the Goldman Sachs HBCU Alliance and senior leadership while receiving dedicated coaching and mentoring. More importantly, the program included training sessions, group project work and networking events for an average time commitment of 3-4 hours per week.
Category: Students, Faculty & Staff, Alumni, News Media