Facilitated through Drew alum mentorship
July 2024 – Thomas Zurkowski C’25, G’26 has landed a summer internship with Corebridge Financial as an investor relations intern.
The position was presented by Drew alum Sid Matti C’94, managing director and global head of corporate and financial institutions credit, enterprise risk management investments at Corebridge Financial. Matti has been mentoring Zurkowski since he was a first-year student at Drew—a prime example of the extraordinary alum mentorship available to Drew students. “He has been an amazing mentor to me,” said Zurkowski.
Zurkowski, an economics and finance double major, will enter Drew’s Dual-Degree in Finance program at Drew’s Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, allowing him to earn his Master of Science in Finance (MFin) in just one additional year.
At Corebridge, Zurkowski shadows sell side analyst calls to determine consensus projections and their financial models. ”I really enjoy these calls because these individuals are very smart in what they do and I get to learn from them,” he said.
In addition, Zurkowski assists the Investor Relations team by preparing the earnings process through earnings presentations, scripts, and press releases. “These aspects are very important to the company because you are transferring numbers to words and trying to display this to investors,” he said.
“One thing I love about it is you get to work with senior management,” said Zurkowski, who presents peer reports to upper management. “I have been in multiple meetings with our CEO and CFO. I am meeting with very intelligent individuals, giving me the opportunity to learn from them.”
“Each day is something different!”
A member of Drew’s Men’s Soccer Team, Zurkowski credits his time management skills from his experience as a student-athlete. “There have been many times where I have to do multiple projects quickly and stay in the office late, but since I know how to manage my time from school and athletics, I get to complete all of my tasks,” he said.
After completion of his MFin, Zurkowski plans to find a full-time position in the financial industry and begin preparing for his CFA certification exam. Drew is affiliated with the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program, which signals to potential employers and the marketplace that Drew’s curriculum is closely tied to professional practice and is well-suited to prepare students to sit for the CFA exams.