Office of Student Success | Colin Powell School
Office of Student Success | Colin Powell School
The Santander Fellowship is a highly-selective program for students who are seeking hands-on experience in the finance industry. This program provides selected students the opportunity to learn advanced financial analysis and strategic problem-solving skills, be mentored by experienced finance professionals, and connect with potential employers before graduating. Top-performing students who have completed Part I of the Financial Analysis and Decision Making Bootcamp will be invited to apply for the Fall 2022 fellowship cohort.
Fellows will receive a $5,000 stipend for the academic year, in addition to mentorship and professional development training.
Students who have completed ECO 21650 will be invited to apply for the Fall 2022 fellowship.
GPA Requirement: Overall 3.2 and above
Students must take ECO 21650 (part 1) or the accelerated course, ECO 21750, to be eligible for the Santander Fellowship.
Academic Year: Fellows must be in their junior year (at least 60 credits) by the start of the Fall 2022 semester. Current sophomores are eligible to apply.
*Exception: Applicants for the Fall 2022 rollout/pilot may be rising seniors in the Fall 2022 semester. After Fall 2022, the Fellows must be Juniors.
Financial Analysis and Decision Making, Parts I and II, is a three-credit gateway course developed by former Wall Street executives that provides students with the analytical, problem-solving, and advanced Excel skills which are needed to secure entry-level roles in large financial firms. This course includes financial and data analysis, modeling, forecasting, valuation and risk. Register today on CUNYFirst. Rising sophomores and juniors are strongly encouraged to apply.
Students who successfully complete Part I will be eligible for the Fall 2022 Santander Fellowship.
There are two options to register for this Spring:
ECO 21650
8-9 modules (3 credits)
For excel beginners with entry-level accounting skills.
Part I; register for Part II in Fall 2022
ECO 21750
12-13 modules (3 credits)
For entry-level excel users with moderate accounting skills.
Parts I and II combined
Click here to read our press release about Santander’s Finance Boot Camp and Fellowship Program Initiative.
Niv Yosef is a driven student and financial analyst with a strong desire to work in the business and financial sector. He has a clear vision of becoming a leader in the industry and aims to help people from all backgrounds achieve financial independence. Niv is currently a full-time FP&A analyst for the Israeli Government in New York and a student at CCNY, where he is refining his financial analysis skills and adapting to the American private industry. Niv understands that building financial models, assessing risk, and measuring the probability of scenarios are critical skills for a financial analyst. He is dedicated to pursuing these skills to achieve his career goals and make a positive impact in the industry.
Oriola Kurtaj is a senior majoring in Business Management and Administration. She was born in Kosovo and was raised in New York. Oriola’s passion for management, numbers, and fast-paced working environments has influenced her interest in finance. She currently works as an Administrator and Supervisor at Ocean Prime NYC where she handles money management tasks on a day-to-day basis. Oriola is an adventurous and enthusiastic person who enjoys traveling and sightseeing when she is out of school and work. Oriola excels at creating interpersonal relationships with others and hopes to build new relationships at the Santander Finance Fellowship. Oriola’s aspirations are to grow and improve as a person. With the help of the Santander Finance Fellowship, she hopes to expand her interest in finance by acquiring new knowledge and skills.
Federico Ciandri is a student-athlete in his third year of pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at City College of New York. As a trilingual international student from Italy, he is able to conduct business in fluent English, Italian and Spanish. His communications skills are complemented by a knowledge of financial accounting, a strong work ethic and advanced problem-solving capabilities. He is curious and he is drawn to challenges, and comfortable working in unfamiliar circumstances.
Ashanti Johnson is an African American woman attending the City College of New York and pursuing a BA/MA degree of Economics. She grew up in a low-income community where she witnessed the results of a lack of opportunity and financial literacy. Her parents did not pursue higher education and her mother continues to struggle financially. Ashanti decided to professionally develop her financial literacy by choosing a career in finance to positively impact the community that shaped her. Her professional goal is to be of service to others while growing herself as an individual as she takes the opportunity to be successful with the opportunity her community gave her. As a student she has performed well, maintaining a 3.778 GPA so far in her college career. Ashanti has taken the courses Introduction to Economics, Python for Business Analytics, Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, and many more towards her pursuit in a career in finance.
Wendy is a senior majoring in economics. She works meticulously on her work and is determined to improve where skills may be lacking.
MD Miah is a first-generation college student from Bangladesh who is majoring in economics at the City College of New York. As an immigrant, he has firsthand experience with the struggles that can arise from a lack of financial literacy. Therefore, he aims to pursue a career as a business analyst, utilizing his analytical skills and passion for financial literacy to improve resources and provide actionable insights and recommendations to both individuals and companies. He aspires to work for financial institutions that utilize data to identify and address disparities, thereby promoting stability and inclusivity while advancing objectives. With the support of the Santander Fellowship, he hopes to use his diverse background and passion for financial literacy to drive positive change in the industry and empower individuals to achieve financial stability and success.
Steven Fernandez is currently a senior pursuing his degree in Economics with a concentration in finance analytics at the Colin Powell School of The City College of New York. He is a SEEK student and is passionate about sustainability and community development, looking to make an impact through financial analytics. As a first-generation student, he emigrated from the Dominican Republic to be raised in Little Dominican Republic (Washington Heights), Uptown Manhattan. Upon arrival, he and his family were confronted with many issues such as trying to find housing, the high cost of living, living in a food swamp community and being marginalized by society’s norms. These issues forged him and carried him to eventually pursue a career in finance, inspiring him to help individuals and entities make good and ethical decisions that promote equity, equality, and growth. His main areas of interest include financial planning, analytics and corporate analysis. Aside from his professional attributes he likes to bike along the greenways of New York City and staying healthy by going to the gym.
Jordan Cheung is a senior majoring in Economics and is expecting to graduate in the Spring of 2024. He was born and raised in the Bronx and a son of Chinese immigrants. Coming from a business high school in the heart of wall street, he is already familiarized with many of the business knowledge and being surrounded by the lifestyle of many wall street businessmen and women further sparked Jordan’s interest in business and finance. He came to City College with no knowledge of what career he’d want to pursue, but as he got more involved in the opportunities the Colin Powell School has to offer and being invited to the Santander Fellowship, he hopes to gain long lasting connections and gain a clearer path on what career he’d like to pursue in the financial services. Apart from academics, Jordan has a passion for graphic design, going on adventurous walks, and food adventures.
Omar Martinez-Alencaster was born to two Mexican Immigrant parents, and just turned 21 this past February. He will be a rising senior in this upcoming Fall semester. His major is Economics with a concentration in Finance and has been interested in this subject since he partook in an introductory finance class his senior year of high school. He would like to use his senior year to continue to push himself out of his comfort zone, create opportunities and overall grow as an individual in order to better himself after he graduates.
Starlyn Sosa is a senior pursuing a major in Economics. Hailing from The Bronx, he is a proud first- generation college student with a Dominican background. Starlyn’s diverse interests reflect his curiosity, creativity, and eagerness to explore new career paths. He sees the Santander Finance fellowship as a unique opportunity to expand his horizons and gain exposure to finance careers that align with his skills and interests. Despite facing numerous obstacles, Starlyn has remained committed to his dreams and has become a role model in his family. He believes perseverance and a positive attitude are the keys to success and strives to live by these values daily. In his free time, he enjoys reading books of all genres, cooking, and exercising.
Ayah Ali is a senior at the City College of New York, majoring in Economics and minoring in Psychology. As a first-generation college student, Ayah has shown incredible determination and dedication to achieving her academic and career goals. Her passion for finance and economics led her to seek opportunities to gain practical experience in the industry, and she was thrilled to secure an internship with Danone in a Finance and Accounting position for the summer of 2023. Through the Santander Fellowship, Ayah looks forward to continuing her journey toward a successful career in finance.
Mishal Nawaz is currently a rising senior in college and is expected to graduate college by 2025 because of the BA/MA program in economics. She likes to read in her free time and socialize whenever she can. She is highly motivated and believes that actions speak louder than words which is why she is excited about this opportunity through this fellowship as it will allow her to expand her professional horizon. She also has a strong work ethic and believe that she will be an exceptional option for this mentoring.
Dea is a rising junior majoring in Economics. She currently speaks three languages and, on her way acquiring her fourth, Mandarin. Currently she holds a GPA of 3.8, and her achievements include her participation as a treasurer of Girls Who Code College Loops Club at CCNY. Her passion in finance arose from working with privately owned healthcare businesses. After working closely with businesses in management and operations, she realized that for a business to be successful it must have the right support, especially financially. Dea hopes that this fellowship would help her obtain both tangible and intangible skills related to investment services, so in the future she can provide small businesses with the right financial expertise, and pair them with the right investors to make them more profitable.
Kyara Valdez is a lower Senior majoring in Economics with a concentration in Finance and a minor in Management and Administration. Kyara’s interest in economics began during high school after she took an economics course for the first time. Learning how economics affects our everyday lives inspired her interest in the field, specifically the finance aspect of economics. Although her career choice is not definite yet, she sees a possibility in data analysis, as she has always had a love for mathematics and general management. When Kyara is not at school or work, she is most likely focused on the small business she started in January of 2021, an at-home bakery called “Sweets By Kyara.” She made sure to use what she learned in her various economics courses to create a profitable business. Kyara hopes to continue learning and growing during her time at City College. With the help of the Santander Fellowship, she aspires for a successful career in economics.
Kayla Cephus is a junior studying financial economics. She is both African American and Cuban and the first in her family to go to college. She originally entered CCNY to become an engineer, but quickly realized that wasn’t her passion. Eventually, she took her first economics class and has been happy ever since. It might have been a rough start, but every day she is proving that if you work hard and put in effort you can accomplish anything. When not working, she enjoys are watching tv, watching baseball and basketball, and hanging out with her friends. She aims to utilize the knowledge she learns from both school and outside experience to become a financial analyst or a financial advisor.
Fiorella Quispe is a first-generation college student. She was born and raised in Peru. She is currently a junior at CCNY working towards a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management and a minor in Economics. She plans to graduate in the spring of 2023. She has a passion for administration and numbers. In her free time, she enjoys painting and photography. She is eager to learn and grow as an individual.
Malcolm Jeter is a senior majoring in Business with a minor in Economics. His passion for finance and economics resulted in him becoming a Peer Review Board Member for the Federal Reserve. Prior to his experience at the Fed, Malcolm’s background in trading securities gave him his first taste of finance. Learning about markets allowed him to gain real-world experience in many different areas. Having learned from senior investment bankers, he now works in financial analysis. Malcolm is thankful for the Santander Fellowship, as it’s another incredible opportunity to gain more experience in the finance industry. He uses his comprehensive background in finance to help others become more financially literate.
Shadman Mostafa is a senior majoring in Economics and Psychology. His family emigrated from South Asia, Bangladesh. He came to CCNY and CPS with the hopes of earning his bachelor’s degree. He wants to become a Financial Analyst upon graduating from CCNY and wants to eventually start a financial advising business. He is currently serving in the United States Army Reserve as an IT Specialist. His hobbies include practicing martial arts, reading short novels, listening to music, playing the guitar, and playing soccer.
Esther Rodriguez is a senior studying economics with a concentration in finance. She was born and raised in the Bronx, and is a daughter to immigrant parents and a first-generation college student. She applied to CCNY with the intention of finding which subject inspires her the most. Her freshman year, she took a microeconomics course and absorbed everything she learned and appreciated everything from the professor’s teaching methods to what she was learning as she was able to apply those techniques to the world’s economy at the time. She is interested in a career in Finance with particular interests in international finance/trade, hedge funds, and venture capital. In her free time, she engages in playing badminton, softball, reading a variety of YA books that relate to her identity, and exploring parts of NYC that allow her to be exposed to different cultures, foods, and way of life.
Aravdeep Kaur is a junior majoring in Economics and is working towards minoring in Mathematics. She was born and raised in Queens and is the daughter of Punjabi immigrants. Her goal is to become a data scientist, specifically within the finance industry. During her sophomore year of college, Aravdeep began working at the Colin Powell School as a Finance Student Assistant and continued learning programming languages like Python and SQL. Aravdeep also hopes to promote data science at CCNY in order to encourage more female students and students of color to pursue careers like data analytics, data science, and data engineering in various industries. Additionally, she enjoys being involved on campus as a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Senator.
Annie Le is a senior majoring in Business Administration and Management with a 3.5 GPA. She comes from a family of immigrants, and in the spring of 2023, she will become the first in her family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Annie came to CCNY for its business and leadership opportunities. She is interested in business principles as well as strengthening her leadership skills. With her degree in Business Administration and Management, she hopes to further her career in finance and marketing. Annie has always been interested in the processes of branding and gaining potential customers for a company, but she recently became interested in the financial aspects and the overall financial performances of a business too. Through this fellowship, she hopes to gain more financial experience and connections to further her career. Annie is a very creative and logical individual, both of which strengths allow her to thrive in Business Administration and Management.
Geralis Garcia is a senior majoring in Business Administration and Management. She is Dominican American and was born and raised in New York. Her interest in CCNY stemmed from the desire to pursue a professional career while staying in the city she grew up in. Through the Santander Fellowship, she hopes to expand on her knowledge in finance and gain more experience in the finance industry. While having an interest in accounting, she is also open to other fields of business and finance. Apart from her studies and career, she has a love for animals and hopes to create a business in the future that caters to their well-being.
Kelvin Roman is a Senior majoring in Business administration and management and minoring in Spanish. His comes from a Dominican background, and he will be the second in his family to earn a college degree when he graduates in spring 2023. He came to CCNY looking to grow as a person and a leader, as in high school he was captain of the volleyball and basketball team. He was attracted to the Colin Powell School in order to learn how a business works in hopes of one day owning a business. Through being a leader, he recognizes hard work and yearns to influence and positively impact others by setting a precedent within his future workplace.
Devindra Jewth is a senior majoring in Economics with a concentration in finance. He was born in the Bronx to a family of five and was raised with two sisters. Devindra is a first-generation college student, proud Seek Scholar, and member of the JP Morgan Chase Advancing Black Pathways Program. He is looking to pursue a career in finance in order to support his ambition and break down structural barriers. Devindra’s main focus is corporate social responsibility, and he hopes to advance a consistently ethical standard of operation in the financial world. Through the Santander Fellowship he aims to cement these goals into practice. In his free time, Devindra enjoys watching “westerns,” especially those starring Clint Eastwood. He is also a loyal NY Jets fan and never misses Sunday night football.
Edosa Odia is a junior who is currently studying Economics. He enjoys hobbies such as cycling and playing video games. Initially, going into college deciding on a major and a career path was challenging for Edosa. However, after being exposed to the courses that were offered at City College, Edosa has decided to pursue a career in finance, and is dedicated to furthering his knowledge of the subject.
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