Endowment Internship Program

What was most useful about the internship?

"I really enjoyed a front row view into the minds of so many reputable and impressive asset managers. Over the course of the internship, I was able to read hundreds of manager letters, seeing first hand their thought process and insight into their investment decisions. I also learned a great deal from UK’s investment team and greatly valued not only their experience and financial insight, but also their mentorship over the past two years. I gained exposure to many different industries and asset classes, distilled opinions, and have been able to develop my own perspective on financial markets. I couldn't be more grateful for the unique opportunities and experience working at the Endowment has provided me!"

What were the overlaps between the internship and classroom work?

"The biggest overlap from the internship and the Endowment was being able to see how concepts learned in class, such as how investments are evaluated, translates into the “real world” of asset management. I remember one time a position I assessed for class was also evaluated by a manager, and it was really interesting to see how a finance professional approached evaluating the same thing I did. It helped me to understand how finance professionals think outside of an academic setting."

Finance, Accounting

What was most useful about the internship?

“Interning with University of Kentucky’s Endowment has been a terrific experience and certainly the best internship on UK’s campus, in my opinion. During my time as an intern, I was exposed to many projects, meetings, and daily tasks that have better prepared me for a career in finance. I would say the most useful part of the internship was the opportunity to improve my professional skills in a supportive environment. The office is a friendly environment in which I was able to connect well with the investment team and learn from their experience in the field. The use of different programs in my various tasks improved my efficiency in Excel as well as other commonly-used programs. I also gained a much better understanding of the broader investment universe in terms of different asset classes and portfolio construction. Overall, I could not ask for a better experience with UK’s Endowment as I gained many skills and experiences that will benefit me in my career in finance.”

What was your favorite project or meeting during the internship?

“My favorite project during the internship was the monthly market commentary that the interns would create for the University’s Investment Committee. Each month, we were asked to create a one-page review of what transpired throughout the global economy during the prior month. We would analyze how multiple indexes performed, and were asked to provide thorough research and commentary as to why these indices performed well or poorly. This ongoing project required us to constantly examine the equity, fixed income, and alternative investment markets, which in turn inspired me to strive to grasp the dynamics of the aforementioned markets’ dynamics. I learned endless new financial terms and topics by reading published reports that were made available to us by the Endowment. Finally, the internship enabled me to hone my researching, reading, and professional writing skills, which benefitted me both in the classroom and in my career. It solidified in my mind that Finance was passion that I wanted to pursue as a career. I am forever grateful for my time spent interning at the University of Kentucky’s Endowment Office, and I know all future interns will cherish the experience as much as I did.”

What was your biggest financial lesson learned in the internship? 

“The ability to analyze the current economic environment and adapt to new and unprecedented conditions is invaluable in understanding the next level of financial proficiency, beyond what can be read in a book or online article. The Endowment allows for the unique opportunity to not only grow your intellectual curiosity, but to do so while learning from the best in the industry and acting as an integral part of the team with a wide array of responsibility.”

Finance, Economics, Accounting

What was most useful about the internship? 

”My experience at the Investment Office gave me an inside look into institutional investing through access to research and insights from a variety of investment managers, which has provided helpful perspectives in my roles in investment banking and private equity.”

What was most useful about the internship? 

“The opportunity to work with the UK Endowment was one of the most beneficial opportunities of my undergrad experience. Notably, the ability to meet with or review managers across so many asset classes provided the chance to better understand the opportunities available in the institutional asset management space very early in my career development.”

What was most useful about the internship? 

"The internship with the UK Endowment provided a unique, on campus experience that allows students the opportunity to apply financial concepts learned in the classroom to a real world setting. The internship opens your eyes to how large the investing universe is and introduces you to a wide variety of asset classes that may not be covered in depth throughout your coursework. Getting up to speed on a variety of investment managers and their processes while gaining experience in portfolio monitoring and benchmarking was invaluable experience as I began my career."