Money Man
Ohio Wesleyan Student Spends Summer Interning at California Investment Firm
Name: Connor Morgan '27
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: St. Charles Preparatory School
Major: Finance
Minors: Accounting and Economics
OWU Connection Experience: Summer internship working as an investment analyst intern at Makena Capital Management LLC, a fund-of-funds that invests on behalf of endowments, foundations, family offices, and pensions
Based in Menlo Park, California, Makena Capital Management was founded in 2005 and has grown into a leading investment firm whose objective is the preservation and appreciation of long-term capital.
My Role
"I conducted manager and fund research supporting the evaluation of prospective and existing GP relationships. I analyzed fund performance data using Bloomberg, Excel, and Sigma, and I rotated through private equity, public equity, real assets, and hedge funds. I presented weekly findings for each rotation and gave a capstone presentation to the full firm."
I got to work in private equity, public equity, real assets, and hedge funds instead of just one area. I wasn't sure yet which part of finance I wanted to go into, and this gave me exposure to all four in one summer.
Institutional Insight
"I pursued this opportunity because I wanted to see how investing works at an institutional level. Part of what drew me to Makena was connecting with OWU alumni who had worked there. Talking with them about the firm and their own paths after OWU gave me a better sense of what the work was like, and it meant a lot to have people there who had been in the same position I was.
"Makena's program also stood out because it was rotational, so I got to work in private equity, public equity, real assets, and hedge funds instead of just one area. I wasn't sure yet which part of finance I wanted to go into, and this gave me exposure to all four in one summer."
My Favorite Moment
"My favorite moment was when our intern class went to Stanford Graduate School of Business for sessions with Professor Joshua Rauh. Most of my summer was spent in the details of each rotation, so it was nice to step back and focus on the bigger picture of how institutional investors manage money.
"Since Makena invests for endowments, foundations, and pensions, a lot of what he covered applied directly to what we were doing. After those sessions, I had a better idea of why the investment team looked at managers and funds the way they did, and I felt like I could contribute more in my rotations."
Lessons Learned
"Rotating through four asset classes taught me that each area of investing has its own way of looking at risk and return. Seeing those differences firsthand built on what I learned in my finance and economics courses, and made those concepts easier to understand. I also learned how much preparation goes into a good presentation, since I had to present to a new team every week. Most of all, the summer made it clear that I want my career to be in investments."
My OWU Mentor
"Carolyn Lammert was a big help throughout the process." [Lammert is a member of the OWU Career Connection team whose work includes supporting Economics and Business students.]
"She reviewed my resume and helped me through the internship application. She also put me in contact with Kevin Macias '23, an OWU alum who worked at Makena, and got my resume over to him, which is how I ended up getting the opportunity."
Alumni Assist
"I was first connected to Makena through Kevin Macias. … I also had the opportunity to connect over Zoom with Trey Olsen '18, an OWU alumnus who works as a vice president at Makena and is currently getting his MBA at Oxford."
Like Morgan, both Macias and Olsen completed summer internships at Makena Capital Investments. Since the company connected with Ohio Wesleyan, it has hired nine Bishops for full-time roles. The initial connection was made by Kevin McGinty '70, a retired financial advisor, life member of the OWU Board of Trustees, and member of the advisory board for OWU's Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship. Olsen is also a member of The Woltemade Center's advisory board.
My Campus Involvement
"Outside of the classroom, I play on the OWU men's soccer team. I have also been involved in the Accounting and Finance Fellows program for three years, which has helped me build professional skills and connect with alumni and professionals in the field."
Why Ohio Wesleyan?
"I chose Ohio Wesleyan because it gave me the chance to play college soccer while still getting a strong education in finance. The smaller class sizes have allowed me to get to know my professors and get more out of my classes. OWU also has a close alumni network and plenty of support for students looking for internships and jobs, which has made a big difference for me."
My Plans After Graduation
"I am currently applying to entry-level jobs in finance, where I'm most interested in investments. My goal is to start somewhere I can keep learning from experienced professionals and continue building on what I've learned at OWU so far. My finance classes at OWU have given me the background I need for that next step.
"Being part of the Accounting and Finance Fellows program and working with the Career Connection office have also helped me get ready for the job search. My internship at Makena allowed me to put what I have learned at OWU into practice and helped me narrow down what I want to do after I graduate."