Mihaylo finance alumna Francesca Cortazar ’15 is one of four finance students and alumni currently working for Goldman Sachs

Four Mihaylo finance students who participated in the Applied Securities Analysis Program (ASAP) have obtained employment with the financial giant Goldman Sachs. Mihaylo finance lecturer and ASAP program director Michael Milligan discusses the opportunities available at Goldman Sachs.

“Goldman Sachs is considered the premier investment firm in the world, renowned for hiring and retaining only the best talent,” Mihaylo Finance Lecturer Michael Milligan says.

Four former and current Mihaylo finance students and participants in the Applied Securities Analysis Program (ASAP) are now working at the company. The first ASAP student to join the Goldman Sachs team was Irina Arora ’14. “Her performance was so good that Goldman Sachs chose to hire Kelsie Ornelas ’15 and Francesca Cortazar ’15 from this year’s class,” Milligan says.

Chris Harraka ’16, another ASAP student, is currently interning with the company as a summer analyst in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the first ASAP student to intern for the company.

Mihaylo Finance Lecturer Michael Milligan

Harraka discusses his internship experience. “The investment knowledge that I gained in school is now being applied in a fast-paced corporate setting,” he says. “I am fortunate to be learning from incredibly smart individuals, meeting with senior management, and understanding how the firm functions both financially and operationally.”

“Goldman’s name and reputation in the finance industry will lead other investment firms to look at Fullerton for future employees,” Milligan says.

Cortazar, who was hired as a credit risk analyst at Goldman Sachs in Orange County, credits her Mihaylo education for her career opportunity. “ASAP not only deepened my knowledge and understanding of finance but has also provided me with the skills needed to succeed in the industry,” she says. “This program has made me even more passionate for finance, and it was truly one of the best experiences of my life.”

Founded in 1869 and headquartered in New York City’s Lower Manhattan, Goldman Sachs has been at the forefront of investment banking, commodities, mutual funds and other financial services, particularly for institutional clients. As of 2013, the company employed nearly 32,000 people worldwide. Two U.S. secretaries of the treasury, Robert Rubin under the Clinton Administration and Henry Paulson under the second Bush Administration, had careers in the company before holding public office. “A major advantage to working for Goldman is that having Goldman Sachs on your résumé will open doors if you decide to leave Goldman,” Milligan notes.

“I feel very fortunate to be working for such a prestigious firm,” Ornelas says. “None of this would be possible without the learning experience gained from ASAP and our program director Michael Milligan.”

For more on the ASAP program, visit online or contact Milligan at [email protected]. For more on career opportunities at Goldman Sachs at locations worldwide, visit the company’s careers site.