Adventis has built a meaningful presence at Michigan State University (MSU) through its partnership with the Financial Markets Institute (FMI),equipping students with the technical foundation needed to compete in top finance recruiting. One of those students is Gavin, MSU Class of '28, who arrived on campus as a pre-med student and, within nine months, secured two investment banking internship offers, including a summer analyst role at Houlihan Lokey.

From Coney Island to Investment Banking: Gavin's Pivot Into Finance

Gavin didn't set out to pursue a career in finance. He came to Michigan State with plans to study human biology and enter medicine. That changed the summer before his freshman year, when he took on a real estate project that opened his eyes to a different kind of thinking.

"I really enjoyed thinking about how investments make returns, how this potential project could allow me to live in a house for free on campus, and generate cash flows on the side. That experience really sparked my interest in finance."

After making the switch, Gavin dove in quickly. When FMI pointed him toward Adventis, the Financial Modeling Certification® (FMC®) Program gave him something concrete to grab onto.

"Everything clicked once I could actually sit down in Excel and build the three statements myself. Before that, I'd heard people talk about them, but I never fully understood what it all meant until I saw how everything connected."

Building Real Understanding, Not Just Memorization

For Gavin, the value of the FMC® Program wasn't just passing a certification exam. It was the moment the model finally came together.

"When you build out the model correctly, and it all flows into itself, that finishing moment — seeing the logic behind it and how it all makes sense — was really satisfying. That's one of the big things that pushed me toward this career."

That foundation translated directly into his recruiting conversations. Whenever interviewers asked about his Excel experience or background, he pointed to the Adventis certification.

"I always mentioned it in the 'tell me about yourself.' And if they asked about Excel, I'd point to the certification and walk them through the financial modeling exam and the multiple choice portion."

The FMC® Program also gave him something more durable: a framework for understanding financial statements well enough to discuss them intelligently in interviews, not just recite answers from a study guide.

Putting It to Work on the Desk

Gavin secured a sophomore-year internship at Angle Advisors, a middle-market investment banking firm in Birmingham, Michigan, while his Houlihan Lokey offer awaits next summer. Just three weeks in, the foundation Adventis gave him was already paying off in a practical way.

"I was working on an operating model a couple of days ago, and being familiar with financial models from Adventis helped me center myself — knowing what I was supposed to be doing, what tabs to look at, what to be linking. Adventis gives you that first good exposure. That's really what the value is."

Nine months removed from pre-med coursework and a job at a Coney Island diner, Gavin now holds two investment banking offers. His story is a reminder that the timeline into finance doesn't have to be linear, and that with the right technical preparation, the runway can be shorter than most students expect.