Dennis' Story

“ I lived in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn until I was seven. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, most of Brooklyn was ravaged by crime and drugs; Flatbush was no different. My mother and father were not together, so I lived with my mother and my father had visitation privileges. My father had moved upstate and out of the city when I was young, so I would see him on weekends. Apparently, I was a very intelligent child, so when I started public school in Crown Heights (an adjacent neighborhood), I was placed in “gifted” classes. My father was concerned for my well-being because having grown up in underrepresented communities, he saw how even the best talent could be swallowed by life’s harsh realities. When teachers are apathetic and family life is unstable, it seems that the writing is on the wall for young and impressionable children. My father wanted me to live with him (and my soon-to-be-stepmother) upstate, so that I would have access to better public education. After much coercion, my mother finally agreed, so I started the third grade in a small school district in rural New York.  

My father always stressed the importance of education to me. When I was young, I remember a conversation where he said the only thing he expected from me was to do my very best at school and to get an education; I would be able to do anything if I became educated. Confused, I remember asking about how that could be. It didn’t seem tangible to me, it required no athletic skill, no objective measurement. How could one measure the level of education? Further, how could one say that they are gifted or have superlative mental aptitude relative to another? Even at my young age, I remember rationalizing to myself that good marks on tests wouldn’t get me far in life. I remember my father smiling and he told me that I would understand as I got older. Despite my initial skepticism about what my father said, I obliged and did the very best I could when it came to education and my grades. Now at 23 (but probably earlier), I realized that conversation is the most important thing anyone has or will ever say to me. I took his words to heart and ultimately graduated high school as salutatorian of my class. I view this as a major accomplishment because my graduating class was around 350 students, I was voted most likely to succeed by my peers, and I honestly felt validated for years of hard work and diligence in spite of some racially charged opinions by some of my classmates. During my commencement speech to my classmates, their relatives, and their friends, I remember briefly thinking that the power of education is something special. If you’re given an opportunity and you are of the right calibration, anyone can succeed; race is truly negligible in that context. Growing up I never had many formal mentors, just the unabashed belief of my family and close friends. There are times where I’m still not sure of all I can possibly achieve, but because I listened to my father’s words, I know I’ll always have a shot in all of my future endeavors.

After college and starting the next phase of my life working at an illustrious investment bank, I realized the importance of networking. While I’m a self-described introvert, realizing that there are other people out there that can help you is the key to truly exceeding at a global corporation. My first two years here have been dominated by studying for the CFA exams, a certification for professionals in finance. This was a conscious decision I made to make my quantitative aptitude more objective. My rationale is that a finance degree at my alma mater (Binghamton University) may not be the same as a finance degree at another school, such as Stanford. Completing the CFA, for me, would be a way to show my knowledge and capabilities in the finance arena. By doing this, I hope to level my own playing field in the eyes of others. Further, while not a facet of traditional networking, people do notice when you’re just a little bit different, when you don’t quite fit in with the sea of people in which you’re surrounded. By being resourceful, respectful, and also having a passion within, you can definitely forge your own network with like-minded people. Part of what I think success in the corporate world entails is the ability to leverage your unique strengths into an overall principle presented by your workplace. What I mean, is that although I don’t feel I’m the best networker, I’m very studious and diligent in my pursuit to better myself, which is a key tenet of my job’s culture. As I take the CFA, I’ll have built an instant conversation opener with anyone who has sat for, looking to take, or completed the CFA exams. It makes my networking easier because we will already have a common ground. Furthermore, the strength of my network will be stronger because it will revolve around something of consequence. Despite this, one always has to look for ways to grow as a person.I think that with mentality one can be successful anywhere, not just in the corporate world.”