FMA_Magazine_2018_2019

A LOOK AT OUR STUDENTS
HALEY
MCDONNELL
Haley McDonnell, a senior finance
major, currently serves as FMA vice
president of marketing and outreach.
After graduating, McDonnell will join SunTrust Robinson
Humphrey (STRH) as a portfolio management analyst in Atlanta.
Haley switched her major from public relations after taking her first
finance class and realizing that the quantitative nature of finance was
a better fit for her. Haley also participated in the inaugural American
Airlines Mentee Program and held several roles within ASIF – this year as
the sector director of healthcare.
As an Orange County, California native, Haley is often asked why she
decided to attend Auburn. “I knew I wanted something different from
home – a big school with a major sports environment. Ultimately,
attending Auburn really pushed me out of my comfort zone, led me to
finance, and truly allowed me to develop as an individual.” An example of
this growth came during her 2018 summer internship with STRH where
McDonnell learned the importance of corporate culture. “Environment is
crucial for me in terms of producing my best work. Portfolio management
is a mix of business writing, cyclical activities, deal experience, and
quantitative analysis. You learn to manage your time, often spending 2 – 3
weeks working intensely on a specific deal. I enjoyed the culture and was
surrounded by kind, supportive coworkers.”
McDonnell encourages younger members, “Choose wisely and invest
in yourself early. It is easy to let opportunities slip past you in college
and delay putting in work – investing in FMA exponentially changed
what my future looks like. Take advantage of the opportunities and stay
intrinsically motivated, not by money or location or prestige. At the end of
the day, when you are putting in long hours on a deal, the only thing that
matters is that you enjoy what you do and who you are doing it with.”
Outside of FMA, Haley enjoys training for marathons, cooking, exploring
national parks, and as she jokes, online shopping – both an interest and
weakness.
FMA 2019 MAGAZINE 23