Sofia Valdez '26 Summer Analyst

Sofia Valdez '26 (Finance) was a Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City, UT.

What was the process for getting this internship, job, or summer experience? 

First, I signed up for a Coffee Chat session hosted by Goldman Sachs at Eller, where you could have a one on one conversation with one of their professionals. During the session, they helped guide me in deciding which division aligned best with my interests and goals. After that, I submitted my application for the role I was interested in, and soon after, I began the interview process. 

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part of this summer was definitely the people I met along the way. I was lucky to be on an amazing team where everyone was always willing to help and support me. Beyond my immediate team, I had the chance to network and have catch-ups with interesting people from other teams and divisions, which really broadened my perspective and made the experience even more rewarding. I also made great friends within my intern class, so I’m walking away from this internship with a lot of valuable professional connections and some lifelong personal ones too!

What did you find most challenging?

The most challenging part this summer was trying to wrap my head around everything that happens in the Asset and Wealth Management division and understanding how my team, Trade Management, fits into the bigger picture. I had to learn a lot of processes and procedures for my day-to-day business-as-usual (BAU) tasks, which was a lot to take in at first. But I learned a little bit every day, and by the end of the summer, everything started to come together and make sense.

How did Eller prepare you for this experience?

Eller helped me get ready for this internship in a few key ways. First, I got to put into practice the finance concepts I learned in class, like how stocks and bonds are valued and the life cycle of a trade, more specifically, the confirmation process, which is all about double-checking trade details to make sure everything’s right before it’s finalized. Second, the presentation and teamwork skills I picked up in my BCOM 314 class, especially during the case competition, really helped me when I had to give my big end-of-summer presentation. And lastly, Eller’s focus on networking made it easier for me to connect with people during the internship, just like the events and opportunities we have at Eller.