Name: Drew DiSerio

Year: Junior

Major(s): Economics, History

Minor(s): Business Institutions Program

CFS Class: Business Field Studies

Employer: NextGen Growth Partners

For my CFS blog I wanted to discuss how unique an opportunity CFS business studies provides while offering course credit. Going into summer internship recruiting, a CFS background is an unparalleled advantage and resume building opportunity. For starters, a CFS experience can really help an individual get a sense of what a career path in their desired field might look like. A true glimpse into the “adult” world one might find out throughout the internship that this career path is certainly for them or perhaps something they may not be interested in. CFS is an incredible tool to remove the vail from what a career in finance might look like. Specifically, working set hours throughout the week helps to design rigid schedule expected later in life. This could be an incredibly useful way to prepare for an upcoming internship or simply step outside of classes and round out your college experience.

Outside of giving one a sense of the professional world, CFS gives many individuals the opportunity to expand their network, explore Chicago, and gain valuable skills they won’t get in a traditional classroom setting. Speaking from experience, I have had the chance to develop relationships with my supervisors, graduate student interns, and executives at my firm. I believe these connections will extend beyond the office and that I have truly cultivated some friendships moving forward. I personally had very little exposure to Chicago in my time at Northwestern. Through CFS, working in the West Loop, I have gotten great exposure to the city and have been able to do exciting things ranging from Chicago Bull’s games to trying restaurants all over the city. Lastly, I have been able to pick up really useful professional skills. I have gotten very familiar with excel, salesforce, and how a company database might be organized in the future. I have had the chance to work with MBA interns and sit in on firm-wide meetings and simply through exposure have learned so much about the industry I work in.

These are just a few of the positive outcomes I have experienced through the Chicago Field Studies Program.