Project Wall Street

My name is Maximaillian Wu (Maxim, or Max, for short), born and raised in Portland, Oregon. I grew up in an immigrant household as the first American-born person in my family. My dad, a high school dropout, started working in a shoe factory at 15 when my grandpa died from heart disease. He eventually came to the U.S. to pursue a better life and economic stability. Soon after, my mom came to the states after my other grandpa died from cancer. He had financially supported her family, so she was forced to seek better economic opportunities. I was immersed in their world growing up – their experiences overcoming educational, economic, and cultural barriers to create a comfortable lifestyle for my sister and I. It even inspired me to pursue my American dream... basketball. College basketball. I had a pretty successful high school career: two state championships as team captain, first team all-state and all-league, even team state records (7 straight state title appearances, 98 consecutive home wins, back-to-back #1 scoring defense in Oregon). While my athletic abilities did garner interest and offers from some Division 3 Programs (namely, MIT, Tufts, and some others), my academic achievements (4.61 GPA, 1540 SAT, Salutatorian), shined a little brighter: I was an early and distinguished admit into the University of Southern California as a Dean’s Merit Scholar (<1% acceptance rate) – with highly-regarded distinctions as an honors students and member of their Global Leadership Program (Top 80 Freshmen). After weighting my options (and some unfavorable roster situations), I decided it was best for my future to forgo my basketball dreams and attend USC to pursue a B.S. in Business Administration through the Marshall School of Business.

Through my first year at USC Marshall as a Business Major with a Minor in A.I. Applications, I maintained a 3.96 GPA, volunteered as a college application mentor with underprivileged high school seniors, and earned another merit-based Barnett Family Scholarship. I also joined many different clubs, including the Trojan Investing Society (“TIS”) and USC Avenues Consulting Group; the latter of which I am an e-board member. Freshman summer, I even had the opportunity to intern in Revenue Operations at a mid-cap SAAS company. I knew I always wanted to do something in business: the financial markets and broader macro-economic field always intrigued me. I lacked direction at first, until I was introduced to Investment Banking through TIS. I soon realized that IB was my next step in life. The perfect blend of business transactions, the competitive environment I missed from basketball, an expedited learning experience, and one of – if not the most – intellectually talent dense environments available to someone right out undergrad. I attribute much of my success in basketball to having strong mentors like my coach and older players to show me the ropes. Given my unorthodox upbringing and lack of exposure to the industry, I knew that I should replicate this for Investment Banking. I sought out mentorship programs across the web, quickly to realize that most of these programs cost money and are run by people who never even worked in the industry. That is, until I found Project Wall Street. At first, I was shocked when I found out that PWS was completely free. I was amazed to discover that Jordan was only a few years removed from IB, and one year removed from Private Equity, not to mention the sheer number of mentors on the PWS team who possess so many years of experience at elite IB and PE firms. PWS is a truly unique non-profit in a world of for-profit programs, and I fully believe in its mission of helping disadvantaged / diverse students achieve their dreams within finance.

Ivy Pham is a first-generation student of color who was born and raised in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In 2019, her family immigrated to the United States with the hope of providing Ivy and her sisters with a solid education and better opportunities. With her father working abroad in Vietnam and her elder sister attending college far from home, Ivy became the sole English speaker in her family as they reestablished their lives in a new country. This transformative experience at such a young age instilled in her the values of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of seizing opportunities. Growing up in Vietnam, Ivy witnessed firsthand the crucial role the financial services industry plays in driving economic growth and improving the quality of life in communities. This experience sparked her passion for finance, motivating her to pursue a career where she can help create financial solutions that empower both individuals and businesses. 

Ivy is an active student, inside and outside the classroom. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.3 weighted GPA and scored a 1500 on the SAT. Driven by her passion for business, Ivy founded her high school's first-ever business club and official DECA chapter, leading a team of 10 to represent the school in a statewide business competition for the first time. Her peers recognized her leadership, electing her as President of the National Honor Society, and she also earned a reputation as a record-breaking goalie for the Women’s Varsity Lacrosse team. Ivy’s entrepreneurial spirit was further honed through her participation in LaunchX, a highly competitive entrepreneurship program, where she founded Equart—a platform for inspiring artists. Additionally, she competed in the Diamond Challenge Business Competition, where she created Re-Soap, a nonprofit aimed at recycling and distributing hygienic products from Ho Chi Minh City’s hospitality industry to communities in need, with a strong focus on community involvement. As a result of her accomplishments, Ivy was accepted to Cornell University’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration, where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration with a minor in Real Estate and a concentration in Finance, Real Estate, and Accounting.

At Cornell, Ivy has continued to demonstrate exceptional academic and extracurricular involvement. Her interest in the financial services industry is evident through her participation in some of Cornell’s most prominent business clubs. As a freshman, Ivy served on the Executive Board of Phi Chi Theta Professional Business Fraternity, where she completed a comprehensive 10-week New Member Education process that exposed her to industries such as Investment Banking, Consulting, and Real Estate through various case studies. She also serves as a Real Estate Analyst for both the Cornell Real Estate Club and Diversity and Inclusion in Real Estate, the only two real estate-focused clubs on campus. Project Wall Street’s commitment to breaking down barriers and making merit the key to success resonates deeply with Ivy, as it mirrors her own journey of perseverance and determination. Coming from a background where opportunities were limited, Ivy understands the importance of access to the right resources and guidance. Through this program, she is eager to deepen her financial expertise, connect with like-minded peers, and build lasting relationships with mentors who share her passion for creating a more inclusive and diverse Wall Street.

Being born and raised in London to Nigerian and German parents, it is safe to say that my childhood is not similar to the "typical" Ivy League student. Living in London and being the only black person at the private school I attended wasn't odd to me while growing up. I was always used to being the only black kid, and I never really gave it a second thought - that is, until I grew up. I started to learn more about life and how some industries are historically dominated by certain demographics. As I finished up my secondary school (high school) in the UK, being academically driven my whole life, I knew I wanted to use my grades and insights to aim for the stars and move to the US for University; specifically, NYC: the hub of the finance world. With a predicted IB (international baccalaureate) score of 45/45, I applied to only one university, Columbia. I found that If I wasn't in NYC, I would better be suited for Oxford or Cambridge. Fortunately, I was accepted to Columbia and received a score of 42/45 in my IB, (equivalent to A*A*A*A at A-level) a score which put me into the 98th percentile world-wide and above the average Ivy League student's score. I knew I belonged.

Entering into Columbia, an environment where 99% of the people share the same drive and assertiveness that you do, is a daunting and humbling experience. I knew I needed to get involved in as much as possible to make use of the endless opportunities available. The US system, in terms of grades and attainment, is vastly different to the UK. At first, I found it a little difficult to understand this system with an "everything counts" attitude. Essentially, in the UK, only final grades of the year are what ultimately count. However, in the US, one must keep up with the class and the teacher; although new to me, I think this system is better when approaching real life, especially Investment Banking, as the consistent work is more conducive to an office working environment.

At Columbia, I have been involved in two finance clubs: BlackGen Capital - a student fund - as well as Columbia's Sustainable Finance Group; both of which have given me invaluable insights into the industry. I am more eager than ever to learn about finance, specifically Investment Banking. To further my interests, I worked at a brokerage and consulting firm in Madrid, Spain this past summer (2024). While I learned a lot, having hands-on experience in many different realms of finance has made me fully confident that I am more interested in Investment Banking than any other path, and Project Wall Street have given me the opportunity to make my dream of being an Investment Banker a reality. In essence, Project Wall Street appealed to me because of its focus on lowering the barriers for all to break into whatever realm of finance they feel suited for. For me, I spoke to the Founder, Jordan, about my dream of making big M&A deals at an executive level at some point in my life. Now, we're working to make that dream a reality - and for that I am immensely grateful.