Andrew Belder
Degree: BBA in finance, minor in computer science
College: Fox School of Business
Hometown: Holland, Pennsylvania
Why I chose Temple: “From early on my dream was to work on Wall Street. By pure chance, during my tour of Temple my guide was Rob Zurzolo, the portfolio manager of Temple’s student-managed investment fund, the Owl Fund. After learning more about the Owl Fund, I was hooked. Rob showed me that at Temple, through hard work and perseverance, you have a real chance to make it to Wall Street. In further conversation with Lori Roseman, director of Fox Honors, I realized the tremendous academic and experiential opportunities Temple offers, from student professional organizations to incredible study abroad programs. But it was when I met Rabbi Baruch and Rebbetzin Chanie Kantor at Chabad at Temple that I knew I had found my home. They welcomed me with open arms, and I immediately felt a deep sense of belonging and knew that this was where I was meant to be.”
Transformative Temple moment: “When I look back at my time at Temple, it’s hard to choose just one defining moment—several experiences stand out. Being accepted into the Fox Fund (the precursor to the Owl Fund) where I was taught my foundation of accounting, valuation and finance skills, and later advancing into the Owl Fund, were significant milestones for me. Both programs challenged me to grow academically and professionally, and I am incredibly grateful to my Fox Fund directors and countless mentors in the fund for shaping my experience. Temple also gave me the opportunity to broaden my horizons through study abroad programs: first at Temple Rome during my first-year summer and later at the University of Westminster in London during my senior fall semester. These experiences gave me a global perspective and pushed me to grow as a person. One of the most rewarding moments came when I received my junior summer internship offer, a milestone that made me realize how much I had grown during my time at Temple. It was a reflection of the opportunities, support and community that Temple provided me and set the foundation for the next chapter of my career in Silicon Valley, a place I once only dreamed of.”
What’s next: “I am excited to be starting my career as an investment banking analyst in the technology, media and telecommunications group at Guggenheim Securities. I will be based on the West Coast in Silicon Valley, surrounded by some of the most innovative companies in the world. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to working hard and learning as much as I can! I am thankful for everything Temple has given me and for all the people who helped me along the way. The friendships I made and lessons I learned will stay with me and I am eager to carry them into this next chapter.”