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Trojan Finance Academy

  • Los Angeles Skyline

    Trojan Finance Academy

    The Trojan Finance Academy (TFA), launched in Fall 2024, is USC Marshall’s premier investment banking preparation program for top-performing sophomores. Students admitted into TFA are named Kilmer and Coleman Scholars and receive technical and behavioral interview training, peer and alumni mentorship, career advising with TFA Student Leaders, and targeted career programming. Scholars also gain access to exclusive employer sessions, recruiting treks to New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and networking events with industry leaders – making TFA a key pipeline to top investment banking firms.

Active Learning + Applied Skills

Kilmer and Coleman Scholars
Trojan Finance Academy

Kilmer and Coleman Scholars reflect on how the Trojan Finance Academy shaped their investment banking recruiting journeys.

ABOUT THE TROJAN FINANCE ACADEMY

The Trojan Finance Academy (TFA) is USC Marshall's premier investment banking scholar program for high-achieving sophomores pursuing careers in financial services. Created to help students navigate one of the most competitive recruiting pathways in the business world, TFA provides Kilmer and Coleman Scholars with access to a powerful community of peers, alumni, and industry professionals while developing the skills, confidence, and relationships necessary to pursue careers in investment banking and the broader financial services industry.

TFA scholars have a strong track record of securing internships and full-time opportunities across mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, capital markets, and industry coverage groups at leading financial institutions. While prior finance experience is not required, successful applicants demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a passion for finance.

• Inclusion in curated resume books shared with employers

• Access to exclusive employer info sessions and industry events

The TFA Experience

What Scholars Experience

The Trojan Finance Academy (TFA) combines technical skill development, mentorship, employer engagement, and experiential learning into a comprehensive recruiting preparation experience.

· Technical Interview Preparation: Develop the accounting, valuation, financial modeling, and market knowledge required for investment banking recruiting through TFA workshop curriculum and partnerships with Wall Street Prep and Training the Street.

· Behavioral Interview Coaching: Learn how to effectively communicate your story, demonstrate leadership, and navigate behavioral interviews through workshops, mock interviews, and peer practice sessions.

· Mentorship and Advising: Receive guidance from TFA Student Leaders and Pod Leaders consisting of upperclassmen who have successfully completed the recruiting process and secured offers at top firms.

· Alumni and Employer Access: Connect with USC alumni and industry professionals across the financial services industry through networking mixers, employer information sessions, coffee chats, and exclusive career programming.

Group of people sitting in a conference room

· Resume Book Inclusion: Be featured in curated resume books distributed to recruiting employers, increasing visibility among firms seeking top USC finance talent.

· Career Treks: Visit leading financial firms in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City to gain firsthand exposure to the industry and build meaningful professional relationships.

· Cohort Community: Join a cohort of students pursuing careers in investment banking and the buy-side. Build meaningful relationships with peers navigating the same recruiting journey while learning and growing together.

Students standing in a circle dressed in suits

TFA Pods

  • A large group of students standing in a classroom taking a picture

  • One of the defining features of TFA is the Pods system, small-group cohorts designed to provide scholars with specialized guidance based on their recruiting interests.

    Each Pod is led by experienced upperclassmen who have successfully navigated the recruiting process and secured offers in their respective areas. Pods create smaller communities within TFA where scholars can build relationships, exchange recruiting insights, receive targeted mentorship, and develop a deeper understanding of specific industry and product groups.

What Scholars Are Saying

Hear directly from Kilmer and Coleman Scholars about how the Trojan Finance Academy helped them navigate recruiting, build meaningful relationships, develop technical skills, and secure opportunities at leading financial institutions.

“Getting selected into TFA turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made at USC. As a community college transfer student and veteran, I initially worried about fitting in, but TFA deepened my knowledge and confidence in finance while connecting me with driven, supportive peers. The access to mentorship, employer engagement, and exclusive opportunities was invaluable.”

-Jonathan Cao, Moelis, Generalist M&A / Rx, Los Angeles, CA

“Through TFA’s industry Pods and mentorship program, I gained valuable insights into recruiting pathways that matched my interests while receiving personalized guidance throughout the process. The TFA Student Leaders and mentors were always willing to help with mock interviews, recruiting advice, and firm-specific insights. The experiences and network I gained through TFA were instrumental in helping me secure my internship offer.”

-Emma Xiang, Bain Capital, Credit, Boston, MA

  • Sophie Roussel Photo

    Sophie Roussel, Bank of America, Generalist, New York, NY

    “Being a WBB student meant recruiting from outside the United States, making the support system that TFA provides especially valuable. The Pod meetings strengthened my technical knowledge and helped me prepare for industry-specific interviews, while the TFA community kept me connected throughout the recruiting process. TFA gave me both the resources and confidence to successfully navigate recruiting from abroad.”

  • Iker Charbit photo

    Iker Charbit, BlackRock, Investor Relations, Global Partners Office, New York, NY

    “The Trojan Finance Academy and the Financial Services Career Hub played a huge role in my recruiting process. Through employer treks and firm visits, I gained firsthand exposure to different areas of finance while building meaningful relationships with professionals and alumni. The collaborative environment within TFA pushed me to improve both technically and professionally, giving me the preparation and confidence to navigate recruiting successfully.”

  • Evita Van Vliet

    Evita Van Vliet, Ducera Partners, Generalist, San Francisco, CA

    “I am very grateful to have been part of TFA during recruitment. The community connected me with supportive mentors and peers who helped me prepare for interviews and navigate the recruiting process. The employer treks were especially valuable, allowing me to visit firms, meet bankers, and gain firsthand insight into the offices where I was applying."

Meet the 2026-2027 TFA student leaders

  • Headshot of Kabir Anand

    Kabir Anand
    Firm (Summer 2027):
    Morgan Stanley | San Francisco, CA

    Kabir Anand is a junior at USC Marshall studying Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance. He previously interned at Masdar, Mubadala’s energy infrastructure joint venture, and will be joining Morgan Stanley’s Financial Sponsors Group this summer in San Francisco. On campus, he is involved in the Global Investment Society, currently as the Co-Head of Mentorship and as a part of the Special Situations Group. He is also a Portfolio Manager for the Undergraduate Student Investment Fund, covering Power & Utilities. In his free time, he enjoys playing padel, poker, watching FC Barcelona, and going dune-bashing back in Dubai.

  • Headshot of Kruti Dharsandiya

    Kruti Dharsandiya
    Firm (Summer 2026):
    Rothschild & Co. | New York City, NY

    Kruti Dharsandiya is a senior at USC double majoring in Business Administration and Accounting with a minor in Data Science. She is actively involved in several Marshall organizations, including Trojan Investing Society, Scholars of Finance, and Marshall Case Team. Kruti is also the co-founder and co-host of the Trojan Investing Playbook podcast, where she shares insights on finance recruiting, markets, and making careers on Wall Street more accessible. A Trustee Scholar, she serves as President of the Trojan Scholar Society and is a member of USC Adaa, a classical Bollywood dance team. Kruti is committed to mentorship and giving back, with a passion for supporting and expanding the Trojan network in finance. She will join Rothschild & Co as an Investment Banking Analyst in New York City following graduation.

  • Headshot of Cooper Palamountain

    Cooper Palamountain
    Firm (Summer 2027):
    Citi | San Francisco, CA

    Cooper Palamountain is a Junior at USC studying business administration. He most recently interned at Roth Capital in Newport Beach and will be joining Citi's Technology Investment Banking group in San Francisco as a Summer Analyst. On campus, he serves as a Director of Leaders in Trojan Investing Society and Chief Operating Officer of Beta Sigma Investment Group. Cooper is excited to serve as a TFA Student Leader and pay forward the guidance that made a difference in his own recruiting journey. He's most looking forward to helping students navigate recruiting with confidence while growing the broader Trojan finance network. Beyond school, Cooper enjoys training for marathons and spending time on the water fishing.

FAQ

Who can apply?

TFA is designed for sophomore students recruiting for junior summer internships (between their junior and senior years). Applicants must have an anticipated graduation date that aligns with beginning full-time employment approximately 6–12 months after completing their junior summer internship and who are either Marshall or Leventhal undergraduate majors, Marshall Business Finance minors, or Real Estate Finance minors.

What makes a competitive applicant?

Admission to the TFA is based on the student’s application, a cumulative GPA of at least 3.70, required participation in a finance student organization, demonstrated technical skills, and behavioral competencies, all of which will be evaluated during the application and interview process. Previous TFA cohort’s cumulative GPA average is 3.88.

What resources does the Hub provide for students to prepare for TFA applications?

The Hub offers several resources to support students applying to TFA. Students are encouraged to check Handshake to register for TFA information sessions and to schedule career advising appointments with finance peer career advisors for help improving resumes and interview skills. They can also request access to Wall Street Prep to strengthen their technical knowledge.

When are applications due?

Applications for the TFA program will open in September and interviews will occur in September/October timeframe.

When are admission decisions released?

Decisions will be released in October.

AFTER GRADUATION

  • First-year analysts typically earn a base salary of $100,000 to $125,000, with total compensation – including performance-based bonuses – ranging from $160,000 to $250,000.
  • Those who continue in investment banking frequently transition from analyst to associate.
  • Alumni who transition out of investment banking after two to three years typically go on to buy-side roles and corporate development.

Career Outcomes

Below are the employers where the Trojan Finance Academy’s Kilmer and Coleman Scholars have proudly secured internships and full-time career opportunities over the past several years.

  • Los Angeles Skyline

    Los Angeles

    Ares Management, B. Riley Securities (fka FocalPoint Partners), Bank of America, Barclays, Cantor Fitzgerald, Citi, Credit Suisse, Ducera Partners, Goldman Sachs, Greif & Co., Houlihan Lokey, Intrepid Financial Partners, J.P. Morgan, Lazard, Lincoln International, Macquarie, Moelis, Morgan Stanley, MUFG, Perella Weinberg Partners, RBC Capital Markets, Rothschild & Co., Sage Group, Santander, TCW, Touchdown Ventures, UBS, Wells Fargo.

  • San Francisco Skyline

    San Francisco/Menlo Park

    Bank of America, Barclays, Centerview Partners, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Ducera Partners, Eastdil, Evercore, FT Partners, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Jefferies, KKR, Lazard, LionTree, Matter Venture Partners, Mizuho, Moelis, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, Perella Weinberg Partners, Piper Sandler, PJT Partners, Qatalyst Partners, RBC Capital Markets, Rothschild & Co., Tidal Partners, Truist, UBS, Wells Fargo, William Blair.

  • New York Skyline

    New York

    Apax Partners, Ares Management, Bank of America, Barclays, BlackRock, Blackstone, BNP Paribas, Brown Brothers Harriman, Campbell Lutyens, Centerview Partners, Citi, Cowen, Credit Suisse, D.E. Shaw & Co., Decisive Point, Deutsche Bank, Evercore, Goldman Sachs, Greenhill Partners, Guggenheim, Houlihan Lokey, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Jefferies, Kroll, Lazard, Lincoln International, LionTree, Macquarie, Moelis, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, Perella Weinberg Partners, Piper Sandler, PJT Partners, Point72, RBC Capital Markets, Rothschild & Co., Santander, Scotiabank, Solomon Partners, Stifel, Stout, TD Securities, The Raine Group, Truist, UBS, Wells Fargo.

  • Boston Skyline

    Boston

    Bain Capital, Charlesbank Capital Partners, Kroll, Morgan Stanley.

  • Chicago Skyline

    Chicago

    Alyeska Investment Group, Goldman Sachs, Guggenheim, Heitman, J.P. Morgan, Livingstone Partners, Vista Equity Partners, William Blair.

  • Houston Skyiine

    Houston

    Evercore, Houlihan Lokey, Intrepid Financial Partners, J.P. Morgan, Piper Sandler.

  • Hong Kong Skyline

    Hong Kong

    Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley.

CONNECT WITH US

  • CONTACT

    Office Email: msbfinancecareerhub@marshall.usc.edu

    Hours: USC Marshall Financial Services Career Hub is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM PT

  • STAFF

    Faculty Director: Professor Julia Plotts EMAIL | BIO

    Program Director: Lauren Irwin EMAIL | BIO

    Program Manager: Cam Pham EMAIL | BIO