Charting a New Course: How Sam LaMont '26 MSF Pivoted from Engineering to Finance

For Sam LaMont '26 MSF, the road to finance wasn’t a straight line. Originally earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arizona, he saw engineering as a “flexible” technical foundation that could open doors to other fields. But finance was always in the back of his mind.

His sophomore year, Sam attended an Eller workshop where he connected with Jeff Welter, director of the Wall Street Scholars Program and academic affairs for the finance department. That conversation changed everything. Jeff advised him to stick with engineering but explore finance post-graduation. Taking that advice to heart, Sam landed an internship at Raytheon, then spent two years in engineering before deciding to pivot. He applied for finance roles and eventually found himself in strategy and analytics at Carvana, where he has spent the last four years.

Now, Sam is returning to Eller to pursue his Master of Science in Finance (MSF)–a personal goal that had been years in the making. “I’ve been in finance for four years now, and I decided it was time to get a formal education. Just because it’s always been a personal goal of mine.”

Beyond finance, Sam has a competitive streak. Whether it’s board games, multiplayer video games, golf, or pickleball, he’s always looking to improve. That drive for continuous learning also applies to his career. “One of my mentors at Raytheon told me he still didn’t know what he wanted to do, even at the end of his career. His advice was to remain curious and solve hard problems. That’s what I want to do after graduation – I want to solve hard problems.”

Looking ahead, Sam plans to continue growing at Carvana, applying the skills he gains from Eller’s MSF program to deepen his financial expertise and advance his career. His advice to future Eller students? “If you have the time and drive to further your education, you should absolutely apply. Eller’s faculty go the extra mile to make sure students succeed.”