After Matt Ligeski graduates from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln on Saturday, he will head to New York City to begin his career as an investment banking analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. His path to Wall Street reflects his intentional efforts to join student organizations early and build a network that opened doors to one of finance's most competitive industries.
A finance and accounting major from Naperville, Illinois, Ligeski chose Nebraska after a neighbor encouraged him to apply. That same neighbor became his roommate, helping Nebraska feel like home from the beginning.
“I wanted to attend college out of state and Nebraska provided the opportunity to major in both finance and accounting. Other schools make you choose one or the other,“ he said. “Nebraska also had a campus in the downtown business area and it was easy to get around.”
During his first semester, Ligeski joined the Big Red Investment Club, a student organization that manages a portfolio valued at more than $700,000. Open to students of all majors, the club provides hands-on experience in equity research, stock pitches and networking with financial professionals, while meeting weekly to analyze markets and manage the portfolio.
"Through BRIC, I met other students my age interested in the same career paths and older students who modeled what to do each year in college. They shared about the internship recruiting process, what to do to stand out starting as a freshman, how they earned return offers and then ultimately their final jobs for after graduation," Ligeski said.
Watching those ahead of him succeed helped shape his own goals. When he saw one student master Excel, he set out to reach the same level of proficiency. When another held key leadership roles in the club, Ligeski decided to follow a similar path.
He also joined the Wall Street Scholars of Nebraska student organization, which prepares students for high-level finance careers through a specialized student-led learning experience, technical workshops, alumni networking and mentoring. Ligeski pushed himself to connect with Nebraska alumni in investment banking, including several at Oppenheimer.
"Networking is a hurdle for everyone, so I thought about my career goals and just started reaching out to people. When you apply for internships and jobs, you are competing against students from top schools, so you need to have a strong education and skills, established connections and several internships to stand out enough for the opportunity to work a job in finance in New York City," he said. "The student organizations here have structures in place for additional learning, much like accelerated programs, and they have juniors and seniors who analyze your resume. In addition, the Business Career Center helped me write my cover letters.”
Ligeski earned an internship in his junior year with the University of Nebraska Foundation after standing out in college's Investors With Purpose program that brings together high-achieving students with investment professionals for a semester-long wealth management course emphasizing real-world application, mentorship and networking. He worked with Brian Neale, the University of Nebraska Foundation's chief investment officer, and the investment analysts and was hired back for his senior year.
“I met Matt through the Investors With Purpose program and quickly saw his commitment to a career in investment banking," Neale said. "His discipline and ambition earned him an internship at the NU Foundation, where he proved dependable and consistently looked for ways to add value to the team.”
He also applied for a competitive summer internship with the help of a few of his Nebraska Business alumni contacts. The position would provide direct exposure to investment work in New York City.
“I received my internship offer at Oppenheimer before ever seeing the city. My first trip to New York was with the NU Foundation the following winter for a conference Brian was speaking at and I was able to get a glimpse into what it is like to work there in finance in the city before ever actually being there,” Ligeski said. "I also went with both BRIC and Wall Street Scholars, and all of these trips through the university solidified my interest in working in New York after graduation."
During the internship, Ligeski gained direct investment banking experience, worked closely with colleagues and built relationships with managers across the company. By summer’s end, he received a full-time offer.
“Nebraska faculty, staff, students and alumni are collaborative and want to see you succeed," Ligeski said. "They helped me turn an interest in finance and accounting into a career on Wall Street."
