Welcome to Manhattan

Leon Petko, a senior Finance major, minoring in Information Technology Management, spent his summer in New York City, interning with Paine Schwartz Partners, a global leader in sustainable food chain investing.

Paine Schwartz Partners is a private equity firm that focuses on investment opportunities in the fast-growing, dynamic global food and agribusiness sectors. The firm’s finance professionals invest throughout cycles across the food and agribusiness value chain and bring a collaborative and active management approach to portfolio companies.

Leon interned as an investment analyst conducting market research and analysis of industry trends, financial modeling, and valuation, all to insure due diligence for potential new investments.

This experience introduced him to the private equity industry, and taught him new skills in Excel, PowerPoint, and Capital IQ.

“I enjoyed the corporate setting and just being a part of the firm,” Leon shared about his experience. “There were also many opportunities to connect with associates and principals.”

Ahead of his internship, Leon met with Jill Williamson, Director of Career Service and Professional Development, to perfect his resume and prepare for the interview process; He spent time narrowing down his search of companies by position offered and location, and then used his network to secure his spot with Paine Schwartz Partners.

“To sum up, I really enjoyed the experience of working a corporate job in Manhattan.”