Julia Villela was initially drawn to Fordham's Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center because of its global business program and location in the heart of New York City.
“I’m really glad I went to a school that took advantage of being in New York,” Villela said. “There's something about New York with its pace and magnetism. They're ambitious people, but work isn't all they have.”
What she didn't expect was that she would also be working on an entirely different interest while making connections that helped her secure a full-time position at Deutsche Bank.
Villela said her background as an international student from Brazil inspired her to major in global business. However, she never expected to become a minor in the field of art history.
“This is one of those things that I would never have thought of without Core,” she said. “This school is very good at introducing different things.”
After taking an introductory art history course, Villela studied abroad at Fordham School in London, where he took a course in art and architecture. She said her entire class met at the museum.
“It trains different parts of your brain,” she said of studying art history. “In a way, you become very detail-oriented. Your critical thinking becomes very sharp. It sharpens the part of your brain that is always questioning things.”
Julia Villela finished her classes at Lincoln Center's Gabelli School of Business.
From art to investment banking: ask the right questions
Villela said she used some of those skills to stand out, like when she interned at Deutsche Bank.
“Especially at the junior level, you're expected to ask questions,” she says. “The question I ask is deeper and it is entirely related to: [that part] of my brain. ”
After graduation, Villela will begin working at Deutsche Bank as a sales, trading and structure analyst. She credits Armani Nieves, GABELLI ’21, with helping her connect with the internship. Ms. Nieves helped create networking events for her during her student days, such as Finance Diversity and Her Inclusion Night.
“He does a great job of finding people with Latino backgrounds and mentoring them in investment banking,” said Villela, who is working on a concentration in global finance and business economics as part of her major. Told. “He gave me a list of Fordham alumni and contacts in his network. I met this guy who went to LC, he worked at Deutsche Bank.”
Villela said he has seen this level of support throughout his time at Fordham.
“Everything is so smooth because we’re all together.”
A business that brings about positive change
Villela also said she appreciates the Gabelli School's purposeful business focus.
“I was accepted into the Ignite Scholars Honors Program, which is open to people with a background in social entrepreneurship who want to use their business to influence positive change. “This is so great,” she said.
She also serves as an Angel Fund Fellow with the Fordham Angel Fund, where she works to connect with Fordham entrepreneurs and vet their funding applications.
“The great thing about this club is that it's not an undergraduate club. It's law school people, MBA students, and undergraduates,” she said. “It's also a great opportunity to learn from colleagues, and that's what I like most about it. It's a combination of business students, social work master's students, and law students, and we're able to help these companies… The types of questions you’re asking are very different.”
