For most people, college is one of the most transformative periods in life. But for Taylor Weekes, what changed her most during her time as a student at Howard University was something that didn't happen in a dorm or a courtyard or even in a classroom.
It took place on her computer screen in 2021, via video calls where the people looking back at her were leaders of one of Wall Street's most storied institutions.
That's because Weekes participated in Goldman Sachs' first-ever HBCU Possibilities Program, a semester-long course for students at historically Black colleges and universities where freshman and sophomores learn the fundamentals of finance, are exposed to the ins and outs of Goldman, and work on a group project that's presented to top leaders at the firm for a chance to win $1,000,000 for their school.
That was her sophomore year of college. Weekes landed an internship at the firm the next summer, in 2022, in the financial institutions group of the prestigious investment banking division. This past July, she started as a full-time analyst on that same team.
"It was very helpful realizing that I can actually start a career here, I can actually work here, I can actually intern here," Weekes told Insider. "Because I see other people who look like me and who went to schools like the ones that I went to — who not only came to Goldman but have thrived here. It changed me, and I'm sure many others would say the same."
The application for the 2024 program, which will take place from January to April, closes this week. To help applicants get a leg up and better understand the program and its potential benefits, Insider spoke to Weekes and another analyst who's an alumni of the program — Zachariah Christopher S., a Morehouse College grad on Goldman's healthcare team. Together with Megan Hogan, who started the program and is now the firm's chief diversity officer, they explained how to be a successful applicant, what it takes to succeed once you're in, and what you can gain from the program.
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Editor, Fulbright Professor & Global Fellow
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