I have been living in New York City for a little over two years now and have enjoyed every minute of it. I’m a big fan of the hustling and bustling nature of the City and how everything and everyone around it moves in a fast-paced manner. That being said, it’s always great to come home to the Vineyard when I get the chance to and slow the day-to-day pace down. This past year has been eventful in that I was promoted in July from Analyst to Associate at Morgan Stanley and joined the Global Industrials Group (GIG). Within GIG, I’ve had the opportunity to work on deals and projects related to mergers and acquisitions (M&A), initial public offerings (IPOs), and debt financing. Since the “Industrials” industry is broad in and of itself, there are many sub-industries the institutional clients we cover operate in. For example, I’ve worked on deals and projects for clients that operate in the agriculture, aerospace & defense, building products, specialty vehicles / EVs, and salt industries to name a few. The most interesting types of projects have been the ones involving M&A transactions since they are usually very transformative transactions for the companies we’re advising and, sometimes, the entire industry depending on the size of the deal. Overall, both professionally and personally, each day continues to bring a new learning experience and I feel as if I’m only just getting started, which is the most exciting part. I’m extremely thankful to MVYouth and its donors for the support over the years as I’ve grown and reflect each day on how none of this would’ve been possible without the help and generosity. Thank you, MVYouth!
Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
This past year has been eventful and incredibly busy since starting in the Securitized Products Group (SPG) at Morgan Stanley slightly over a year ago. As I have gotten more acclimated to my role, I have been able to take on more responsibility, lead, and sign off on a number of projects and deals rolling up to senior management within SPG and Morgan Stanley, more broadly. Outside of work, Morgan Stanley offers many programs for employees to volunteer and give back to surrounding communities and beyond. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to partake in a mentorship program where several colleagues and I volunteered as mentors to the students, many of whom come from minority backgrounds, at the Business of Sports School in midtown Manhattan. The mentorship program is structured as several sessions each semester, focusing on a core theme most relevant to the students. The past fall semester, we focused on helping the junior students with their college essays and applications. I am eager to continue volunteering as a mentor in the program when it kicks off again in the spring. Morgan Stanley also offers countless opportunities to donate to charities and support different causes, which has been an enlightening experience to learn more about and contribute to charities and causes other colleagues also care about. All in all, it has been a year filled with new experiences and tons of learning. I am grateful for every part of it and look forward to the development of my career as the years progress. None of this would have been possible without the help and support of MVYouth and its donors. Thank you again for everything you have done and continue to do for the community on MV!
Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
This past May, I graduated Summa Cum Laude and had a modified in-person commencement ceremony. I spent the summer on the Vineyard working a couple of summer jobs and continued to assist my capstone professor in researching growth investment opportunities within the technology sector. Additionally, I continued to persistently apply for full-time positions to begin my career in Finance. In Fall 2021, I moved to New York City to start my full-time job as an Analyst in the Securitized Products Group (SPG) at Morgan Stanley, a multinational investment bank.
More specifically, within SPG, I work with asset-backed securities, credit default swaps, and collateralized loan obligations, which are a few of the verticals involved when doing deals with clients. Since joining Morgan Stanley, I have been busy nonstop. The work is immensely complex, and I genuinely learn something new every day. Over the next few months, I will be studying for several exams to obtain the required FINRA licenses for all new Analysts. I look forward to obtaining these licenses as they will allow me to take on even more responsibility at work. I am very thankful and fortunate to have this opportunity at such a reputable firm — I know it will help me in the future as I continue to advance my professional career.
It is truly amazing to see how much MVYouth has grown over the years. It makes me smile every time I see a new initiative, ongoing grant, and a new class of MVYouth recipients, as I know firsthand how much of a difference it makes. I am eternally grateful for MVYouth, all of its donors, and I am very much appreciative of all the support these past several years. Thank you, MVYouth!
Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
It is incredible how fast my college experience has transpired. Although my final year was not at all what I was expecting, and all my classes were entirely remote, I made the most out of the situation in every way I could. I continued to stay just as busy, if not busier, as my previous “normal” semesters. When I wasn’t busy with schoolwork, I frequently participated in virtual Zoom meetings for clubs and career panels with numerous guest speakers. Additionally, I have been doing a significant amount of post-grad planning, and as I continue to prepare for what lies ahead in the near future, I have solidified the conclusion that I would like to continue my education in the years to come by pursuing a Master’s degree. The highlight of the semester was my honors thesis, which I completed through the capstone courses of the Isenberg School and Honors College, “Business Strategy & Entrepreneurial Leadership.” To briefly summarize an extensive thesis project, my research addressed the future of meat consumption as consumers seek to incorporate more plant-based meat alternatives into their diets, consequent to learning about the negative externalities associated with conventional meat consumption. Among the many things I learned upon completion, the most pertinent is the environmental effects and inefficiencies linked to livestock and conventional meat production. It is more important now than ever before to address the impacts of climate change, and one way to do so is through consumers’ dietary habits. Following this, the capstone professor, who guided me through the honors thesis, asked me to assist him in completing his own thesis project next semester, which I am excited about. We will be researching and analyzing growth investment opportunities set to transform the landscape of industries within the Technology sector. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the continued support of MVYouth and all those involved. These past four years have been filled with a myriad of new learning experiences and opportunities, none of which would have been possible without the support of MVYouth. I look forward to the day in which I am able to demonstrate my eternal appreciation and gratefulness for MVYouth and its donors. Thank you all so much for the opportunities you have given to me!
Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
This past semester at UMass, Amherst got off to a quick start and was fast-paced through its entirety. At the beginning of the semester, I had to fill out a credit-overload form so I could enroll in 8 courses (21 credits) consisting of subjects such as Finance, Real Estate, Biochemistry, and Physics. Also, I switched my major from Business Management to Finance and remained on a Pre-Medical track. I established that a major in Finance encompassed more of my interests than Business Management since I want to pursue a career that combines my passion for financial markets, current events, and how current events can influence investment strategies within the financial markets. UMass continues to present new opportunities for me to stay involved on and off-campus. When I don’t have classes, I’m either at the library being productive or attending various club meetings. I’m still participating in many clubs, including the UMass Pre-Medical Society and Isenberg Real Estate Association. This semester, I joined the Isenberg Finance Society and the Isenberg Investment Club. Through the Investment Club, I was a finalist in a stock pitch competition where I pitched an investment strategy on a company's stock to a panel of judges from the finance-related Funds at Isenberg—I placed in the top 5. On top of coursework and extracurriculars, I’ll begin volunteering at BayState Hospital in Springfield this coming semester for me to increase my exposure in the medical field. Most recently, I've been applying to numerous summer internship positions in Massachusetts and New York that would allow me to gain first-hand experience and expand my knowledge of finance/financial markets. I continue to grow and keep learning new things every day. I'm forever grateful for the opportunity MVYouth has given to me and extremely thankful for all the generosity and support!
Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
My time at UMass Amherst got off to a quick start as I was busily engaged in my studies as well as in my extracurriculars. I took on six courses, ranging from Organic Chemistry to Accounting to Portuguese, in order to satisfy my Business Management/Pre-Med major requirements. I am also considering adding a language as a minor to my current major. UMass has continued to present me with new opportunities to stay involved on campus. These opportunities have been filled with many experiences, some of the same ones as last year and some new ones. There is not a moment in the day where I feel that I can’t get work done or be involved in some way as there are numerous student organizations, clubs, study groups, and activities taking place on a constant basis.
I continue to stay involved in the Isenberg Real Estate Association, the Isenberg Management Association, and the UMass Pre-Medical Society. I joined the Social-Entrepreneurship Club as well because their ideas and mindset of creating sustainable businesses beneficial to the environment while making the most out of clean energy piqued my interest. I took part in Intramural Soccer and plan on doing it again next semester as well as joining Intramural Volleyball. I have had various volunteering opportunities through clubs such as the Rotaract Club. I continue to grow as a person and continue to learn new things every day. I am looking forward to next semester and will, no doubt find something new to take part in.
I cannot thank MVYouth enough for this opportunity that has been presented to me. I am forever grateful for the generosity and support. Thank you MVYouth for another awe-inspiring year!
Paulo Pereira Filho - UMASS
Life at UMass Amherst this past semester has been filled with new experiences. UMass Amherst is similar to a small city, in itself, they have so much to offer on campus and there’s always something to do. During the week, I spend a lot of time in the tallest academic research library in the world, the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. This past semester I had many opportunities to become involved in the community of UMass. I joined the Isenberg Real Estate Association as well as the UMass Pre-Medical Society. I have had different volunteering opportunities through the Pre-Medical Society and have become CPR/AED certified through a Healthcare Professional (HCP) and Basic Life Support (BLS) class in order to reach my goal of becoming an EMT. The highlight of this past semester has been joining intramural soccer at the beginning of the semester and becoming captain of my team. I am looking forward to what next semester has in store for me. I have made myself at home here at UMass and none of it would’ve been possible without the immense generosity of MVYouth. I am forever grateful for the benevolence. Thank you MVYouth.