Project Wall Street ("PWS") is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving accessibility of the finance industry for students of all backgrounds. Our mission is to make merit, not background, the determining factor in whether a student can break into Wall Street.
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With decades of combined experience across Investment Banking, Private Equity, Hedge Funds, and Consulting, our team aims to ensure that talented, driven students are given a chance to break into Wall Street. We are here to help you understand and pursue the career that you want to pursue - regardless of your background.
Available to college students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, the Fellowship Program is our premier offering designed to empower the right future leaders to secure the best jobs in the world. Through a competitive, merit-based selection process, students earn the PWS Fellow distinction and receive entry into our Fellowship Program, where they are provided with unparalleled training, personal mentorship from our team of Wall Street professionals, and access to a growing network of like-minded achievers.
*This program must be selective to ensure the integrity of its offering. We ensure that it aligns with our mission, and remain equally committed to our all-inclusive programs.
Includes College GPAs of all 35 Fellows
Excludes Fellows from Ivy League Schools
Only Includes Scores Provided
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.
Derek Zheng is a first-generation low-income student of color who grew up on Long Island, New York. His parents immigrated from China to the United States to chase the ‘American Dream’ and build a restaurant business to provide for their family. To help his parents run the restaurant, Derek spent many weekends and holidays as an assistant manager, setting him apart from his peers. Watching his parents overcome countless obstacles to achieve their dreams has motivated Derek to embrace the world with a similar mindset. His interest in business grew significantly from this transformative experience that taught him perseverance, dedication, and patience.
In the classroom, Derek’s academic achievements were laudatory. He was named Salutatorian (ranked 2 out of 376), had a 103.2 weighted GPA, and scored a 1520 SAT. Derek served as the Varsity Basketball Captain, Math Team President, Senior Class Vice President, and National Honor Society Vice President. He was recognized as a 3x Academic All-County player by Suffolk County basketball coaches, National Commended Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, and New York State Academic Excellence Scholar. Most importantly, Derek founded the Medical Professionals Club, an organization that provided 70+ students with a thorough comprehension of the medical field. As a result, Derek earned a full-tuition scholarship as a William R. Berkley Achievement Scholar (1 of 15 selected from 17,000+ applicants) at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business.
At NYU Stern, Derek has demonstrated exceptional academic and extracurricular involvement. He made the Dean’s List with a 3.7 GPA while pursuing a double major in Finance and Computer Science with a minor in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. His interest in the financial services industry is evident through his participation in school clubs. As part of the Business Analytics Club and Stern Real Estate Group mentorship programs, Derek has been exposed to the intersection between business and technology and the fundamentals of the real estate industry, respectively. He’s also a proud member of Beta Alpha Psi and Proud to Be First. Derek also gained valuable work experience this past summer. As a Finance Intern at Jasco Philanthropies, he was in charge of synthesizing equity research reports, leading pitch deck presentations for startups and film investments, and researching emerging market trends. At Vermilion Rock Advisors, he sourced acquisition prospects and researched lower middle market industrial sectors. Outside of school,
Derek enjoys pickup basketball, watching sports with friends, sunrises and sunsets, and exploring Thai restaurants in NYC. After speaking with upperclassmen and alumni at NYU and reflecting on previous experiences, Derek realized that a career in Investment Banking would best align with his goals of making an impact on companies, working in a fast-paced team environment, and learning continuously through it all. Project Wall Street’s mission to provide mentorship and community for students coming from under-resourced backgrounds resonates deeply with Derek because it mirrors his own journey and aspirations. Through this program, Derek aims to improve his technical knowledge, expand his network, and make meaningful relationships with his mentors and cohort members.
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