Julia Duarte W'20
What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate?
I graduated this year in 2020, and I concentrated in Finance and Legal Studies.
What were you involved with as an undergraduate?
In addition to Wharton Women, I was part of the varsity softball team at UPenn. I was also very involved in the Undergraduate Sports Business Club, where I served on the finance and alumni relations committees.
What was your favorite part about Penn/Wharton?
Beyond the friends and amazing people that I met at Penn, I think my favorite part was the incredible and unmatched opportunities that Penn offers. Also, I’m from LA, and I loved being able to experience Autumn on such a beautiful campus!
What has your career journey looked like?
I have definitely tried many different things in my career journey – I really liked legal studies, so I worked as a legal intern one summer. I then switched into an audit internship my next summer, and I liked the finance aspect, but it wasn’t fast paced enough for me. I actually did an internship at Snapchat working in Investor Relations, and I had the opportunity to work directly with the Head of Investor Relations, went to meetings with the CFO, and even got to see transactions from a company perspective. This is what got me really interested in banking, so my senior year, I emailed recruiters and ended up getting an offer at Cowen. I currently work as an Investment Banking Analyst in the healthcare industry, and I love being able to work on deals in such a complex and dynamic field.
How has being a woman has affected your career?
Banking is definitely a male-dominated field, and even my group only has 3 women. I would say that I haven’t been personally affected by it, but I want to emphasize that being a minority shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your passions. Never be afraid to enter a field just because it's male dominated.
What is the best career advice you have received?
The best advice I ever received was something my dad told me, which is “Don’t ask, don’t get”. Don’t be afraid to go out and get what you want because it’s never too late. If I had been too afraid to email recruiters my senior year, I wouldn’t have my job today. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do on Day 1 – take advantage of all the experiences you have, especially in previous internships, to figure out what you like and don’t like, and use your resources to pursue your passions.
How do you balance your personal life with your professional development?
It has definitely been easier working from home to balance personal and professional life. Sometimes I am even able to take mid-morning runs! Me and my coworkers respect each other’s time, and I make sure to schedule in time for myself to get a workout in. It’s so important to take time for yourself because if you are mentally exhausted, you won’t be able to produce your best work. In my free time, I enjoy trying new restaurants, and I’ve also taken up running. I intend to run a half-marathon when this pandemic is over!
Do you have any final advice for our members?
Take time to really enjoy yourself at college. Don’t worry so much about things that don’t actually matter and try not to lose sight on the bigger picture. Everything will always work out in the long-term.
Questions for Julia? Feel free to contact her at juliaanneduarte@gmail.com.