Hi there! I am Liz Perez and rising second-year student at UCLA Anderson. I am a Los Angeles native and proud daughter of Honduran and Puerto Rican immigrants. I spent the past decade on the east coast earning my bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Prior to Anderson, I worked in technology consulting at Forrester Research advising CMOs and CIOs on digital strategy and innovation, and then at the national social enterprise Year Up, connecting young adults to workforce opportunities in tech and finance.
This summer I had the opportunity to intern and explore investment banking at Citi with the small but mighty global industrials deal team right here in sunny Los Angeles. Though I heard through peers, mentors, and Parker, that much of investment banking is apprenticeship work, it wasn’t until my first few weeks “on the desk” where I got to experience being an apprentice fully. Whether it’s researching aviation trends, analyzing a firm’s financial models, or supporting my first IPO, there’s been a sheer abundance of learning during my internship that’s been accompanied by the close support of my peers. In a little over 8 weeks, I’ve had the chance to shadow my brilliant colleagues and learn more the future of renewable energy and its impact on metals & mining in addition to evolving global transportation trends. A summer in investment banking has been equally challenging and rewarding, and I’ve had my whole deal team to lean on with each new staffing opportunity. As I wrap up these last two weeks, and wind down from our weeklong internship trip to Citi NY, I hope to build upon these learnings as I reflect and embark on a career in investment banking.
Student Blogger: Liz Perez '22
Undergrad: Brown University ‘13
Pre-MBA: Associate Director, Year Up; Senior Research Associate, Forrester Research
Clubs@Anderson: Alliance for Latinx Management at Anderson (ALMA) VP of Partnerships, AnderStories Co-Lead, StartU Regional Scout