By Nate Porter ’18
This past summer, I interned at a financial data-analytics firm in New York City called S3 Partners, located in midtown Manhattan. The company provides extensive short-side market research and data analytics to clients (primarily hedge funds) through numerous platforms, including a financial software application that provides real-time short-interest data via a Bloomberg terminal. During my time at S3, I worked closely with Head of Research Ihor Dusaniwsky ’84, providing extensive short-side research using S3’s data-analytics software and the Bloomberg terminal.
Together we regularly tracked and provided research on the most- and least-profitable shorts in international and domestic stocks, ETFs, sectors, and indices. Some of our work was cited by The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Business Insider, and Investopedia, among others. I also worked with other members of the firm in analyzing borrowing and lending activity to help create Excel templates, showing profitable opportunities for securities lending in a client’s portfolio. Proprietary software generated a “true market rate” for borrowing securities, which could also be measured against the borrowing rate charged by a client’s prime broker.
I can safely say I learned more about the Street during my first week working at S3 than I had during all my years at Cornell. Getting to use a Bloomberg terminal was an incredible asset; the people at the company were professional, yet fun to work with, and Ihor was a fantastic mentor, who was patient in teaching me the nuances of the company and never hesitated to answer my numerous questions concerning the market. Even though he was a Sigma Nu over 30 years before me, I still felt a level of camaraderie with him during my time there. I remember the first day of work; one of the first questions he asked me was whether or not we still did the same initiation traditions. The internship and living in the city made for an incredible summer, and after graduation, I hope to find a satisfying career there, but I will never forget this past summer, when I got my foot in the door.
I want readers to know that I was fortunate to land the internship after networking with a number of Cornell Sigma Nu alumni with substantial experience in the financial services industry, most of whom were eager to provide me with guidance and advice during my internship search, despite having never met me. Just a few weeks after leveraging our network this past spring, I received a call from Ihor, who asked me if I would be interested in interviewing for a position at S3.
“When I heard that some of the active brothers were looking for internships and we had an opening this summer, I contacted Nate and, after speaking to him, offered him the position,” said Ihor. “Nate’s resume showed me he had the skill sets I needed for the role, but more importantly, as a Sigma Nu brother, I knew he was the kind of person that I could trust and feel comfortable working with. I knew, as a brother, he would impress me with his drive and work ethic, and he exceeded my high expectations.”
“Our firm enjoyed a summer with a productive and friendly intern, and I enjoyed the fact that I was able to give a little back to an institution that was a big part of my young adult life, “ continued Ihor. “If any of our established brothers have a chance to reach out and help one of our active Gamma Theta student brothers, I urge you to do so. You won’t be disappointed. Your success can be a stepping stone to their future success! After all, this is the Life, the Way, and the Light of Sigma Nu.”
The whole experience was truly an inspiring one for me; a network of people I had never met before were willing to take time out of their busy schedules to chat with me and provide valuable career advice. It goes to show what the brotherhood is all about and how our values and traditions as brothers of Sigma Nu carry on with us throughout our lives. I hope that one day I can return the favor.
Interested brothers can connect with Nate at nateporter1465@gmail.com and Ihor at ihor.dusaniwsky@s3partners.net.