“I have always had a strong passion for finance and the financial markets,” says Randolph-Macon College student Michael Bertolino ’18. “After completing my first economics course at RMC, I fell in love with the material and knew that I wanted to major in business finance.”

Bertolino, an economics minor, put his knowledge to the test in summer 2017, during an internship at RAYS Capital Partners Limited in Hong Kong, China. RAYS Capital Partners Limited is a private investment firm that specializes in investing in Asia Far East ex-Japan, with assets of approximately $1.4 billion under management and advice on behalf of institutions and private families.

Randolph-Macon Board of Trustee member and alumnus Ben Schapiro ’64 introduced RAYS Capital Partners Limited to the college several years ago and presented the idea of the RAYS Capital team offering internship opportunities to RMC students.
Asian Studies Professor Todd Munson was in charge of the candidate selection, and the internship interview—via Skype—was facilitated by staff from The Edge, RMC’s four-year career development program. Staff from the Edge also helped Bertolino polish his resume.

Hands-on Skills
As an investment analyst intern, Bertolino analyzed business trends and tracked fixed income, political, and international capital market trends. David Ruan, the managing partner at RAYS Capital Partners Limited, served as Bertolino’s internship supervisor.

“We focused Michael’s internship on the operations of the capital market, leading his research on understanding between passive and active investing,” says Ruan. “He attended meetings with the company’s economists, analysts, and strategists; analyzed market trends at both the macro and company level across both Asian and global markets; monitored the market conditions affecting trades; studied the influence of economic variables across markets; and formulated forecasting models.”

Guidance and Opportunities
“David guided me through investor relations, macroeconomic research, trading securities, and life as an analyst at RAYS,” says Bertolino. “I was also given the opportunity to network with professionals from some of the largest banks in the world—Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, and Deutsche Bank—and I saw firsthand how these companies functioned internationally.”

The opportunity to participate in an international finance internship was extremely rewarding, says Bertolino, and living in Hong Kong for two months was the experience of a lifetime.

“I lived at the Mini Hotel, in Central Hong Kong,” he says. “It was exciting to experience the fast-paced city environment, as well as learn from the most intelligent financial professionals in the world.”

Athletics and Campus Life
Bertolino chose RMC after being recruited by Head Football Coach Pedro Arruza.

“I instantly fell in love with the college after my first overnight visit during my recruitment process. I loved the tight-knit relationships present on the football team, and when Coach Arruza extended me an offer to play for his team, I didn’t hesitate to accept,” says Bertolino, a wide receiver for the Yellow Jackets. He also serves as recruitment chair of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and he is a mentor for students at Gandy Elementary School.

Bertolino’s post-RMC plans include graduate school.

“I plan on working in banking for two years and then going back to school to pursue my MBA,” he explains. “Eventually, I want to move to New York City and have a career in investment banking.”

RMC Internships
Internships offer a real-world setting for connecting academic learning with the workplace.

RMC’s Edge Career Center and dedicated faculty assist students in finding the perfect internship opportunity. The Edge, an intensive four-year program that prepares students for life after college, gives students a competitive advantage in the job market or graduate-school admissions process. Workshops, internships, one-on one advising, a career and networking Boot Camp, and a host of other resources ensure that students who graduate from RMC are lifelong learners who can think critically and adapt to new situations.

RMC’s Bassett Internship program offers academic credit and connects students with tailor-made internships to explore a wide range of career fields in various locations. Students can also choose from a variety of paid or volunteer internship opportunities.