MEET OUR LOCAL STUDENTS
It’s time for our Student Spotlight! Our goal is to highlight young women ready to make a career in Investment Management.
This month's spotlight is on Makenna Presley. Makenna is interested in connecting and networking with other finance professionals in the Southwest Florida area. She can be reached at [email protected] or (407)-416-6541.
Why did you choose FGCU and your major?
I wanted to attend a university that could offer both smaller class sizes and a great business education while still not being too far from home. I chose to study finance because I have always been passionate and curious about investing.
What is/was your favorite class at FGCU?
Two of my favorite classes have been Financial Management with Dr. Huerta and Personal Financial Planning with Dr. Fraser. Financial Management gave me great exposure to the corporate finance side and laid a great foundation for my other finance courses. Personal Financial Planning was my first academic experience in the financial services world. I learned how valuable that knowledge was as a future finance professional. Both Dr. Huerta and Dr. Fraser have been instrumental in education at FGCU, I am incredibly grateful for all of their help, advice, and guidance.
Where have you interned in your field?
Spring of 2024, I had the privilege of completing an internship with HBKS Wealth Advisers. I was a part of their Retirement Planning team, working on 401ks. My role was to assist with quarterly and yearly performance reports for plan sponsors, create educational materials for plan participants, and compare different funds to formulate recommendations. During my time at HBKS I learned a tremendous amount about the financial planning side of finance, gaining hands-on experience and practical knowledge.
I also was fortunate enough to complete a full-time internship in the Summer of 2024 with Fidelity Investments. While in the Orlando Investor Center, I helped prepare materials for client meetings, assisted clients in the branch to ensure they had a positive experience, shadowed client meetings, and completed research projects on generational engagement. I am lucky enough to have received a full-time offer from Fidelity post-graduation in the Spring and I couldn’t be more excited to work with such an amazing team of finance professionals in Orlando!
What clubs and/or organizations are you involved in at FGCU?
I am a student member of CFA Society Naples and involved with SWFL Women in Investment Management group. Both have given me so many amazing opportunities for networking with and learning from professionals in the SWFL area. I am a part of the FGCU Eagle Fund this semester, helping to manage our Healthcare and Consumer Staples sectors. In the Fall of 2023, I participated in the LCOB Mentorship program where I was paired with my amazing mentor Diego Zambrano, who has been very influential in offering me assistance and advice as a finance student and preparing me for a career after graduation.