News Archive
Alumni Spotlight: Chris Arroyo, First in his Family to Attend College, Begins a Master's Degree Program at Georgetown
By Alyssa England, Intern
TAMPA (June 15, 2021) -- In spite of the obstacles that stood in his way, Chris Arroyo was not going to let them stand in the way of a college degree. As the first in his family to attend a university, he maintained one overarching goal: to make his parents proud.
Arroyo graduated from the USF Muma College of Business with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in finance in December and this fall, he begins a hybrid master鈥檚 degree in finance at the prestigious Georgetown University.
His path was not always clear-cut. Before and while attending USF, Arroyo was unsure about his future.
Before coming to USF, Arroyo worked for AIG in New York City while attending William Patterson University. During his sophomore year, Arroyo worked full time as an analyst for AIG while taking classes part time. However, the company, which later went bankrupt, had over hired analysts and began laying people off, including Arroyo. After losing his job, Arroyo found himself looking for a change.
鈥淚 lost my job and had to move back home,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 really thought I was in the pit. USF welcomed me. I was a fourth-year junior, because I had done everything part time and I just really got involved in some of the clubs. I enrolled in the Corporate Mentor Program and the Student Investment Club and I found my home.鈥�
鈥淚 came out of USF with a great job and I鈥檓 going into a great master鈥檚 program,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o now, I never think anything is too out of reach.鈥�
The Muma College of Business helped Arroyo get an internship with Goldman Sachs over the summer, he said. 鈥淚 had one previous to that at a small MMA firm that USF also helped me get.鈥�
He now works as a full-time analyst at Goldman Sachs in Dallas in the company鈥檚 investment banking operations division. This fall, he begins the master鈥檚 degree in finance program at Georgetown. Half of the program is online and half is face-to-face. Arroyo is excited to travel to Washington, D.C., between three and six times a year for his residencies and weekend requirements.
Arroyo鈥檚 favorite USF memory is his first career fair.
鈥淚t was the one that happened during the spring of my senior year, before I got my internship,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was in my nice suit and everything and I was looking at myself in the mirror doing elevator pitches to myself.
鈥淚 had the plan of how I was going to hand out my business cards and I stapled my business card to my resume and everything,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was fun and I ended up doing really well. And being in the CMP taught all those things, like how to introduce myself and how to hold conversations.
鈥淚 can say,鈥� he said, 鈥淯SF is the best thing that happened to me.鈥�