18 Nov Josh Morris-Levenson: Undergraduate, UChicago

My name is Josh Morris-Levenson. I am an Economics Major in the University of Chicago Class of 2014. I interned at R&R Consulting during the summer of 2012. I worked closely with each member of the R&R team, while also completing significant projects independently. The small size of the company meant that I was constantly immersed in the language and logic of structured finance. Whenever a project reached a milestone or hit a snag, we all got together to consider it and share our ideas. These often-technical meetings were intimidating at first, but after a few weeks, I found that I was able to make substantive contributions.

At R&R, the study and analysis of structured finance requires an array of concepts and tools. My assignments ranged from interpreting deal prospectuses to modeling securities in Excel and with R&R’s proprietary software to producing research on the regulation of structured securities. Working on such diverse projects gave me a holistic understanding of structured finance. When I returned to school in the fall, I realized that my industry-specific education was in fact widely applicable. I found myself able to discuss the causes of the financial crisis, current financial conditions, and possible government policies with ease.

During my summer at R&R, I was surrounded by new ideas and occupied with stimulating work. I was never without a substantive project to complete, a new article to read, or an interesting person to talk to. Working at R&R was an eye-opening introduction to the world of professional finance.