The Roosevelt University Investment Club was delighted to host Erica Marquez Avitia to share insights and highlights from her career in the financial sector.
This event was hosted by the Investment Club, a student-led organization open to all Roosevelt Lakers “ looking to participate in the hectic, unpredictable and thrilling rollercoaster of a ride that is the ‘market.’” Avitia was invited by Professor Michael Andrews, who had this to say of Avitia’s visit:
"We were very fortunate that Mrs. Avitia accepted our invite to share her expertise, experiences and leadership with the Roosevelt community. Her insight was invaluable and extremely motivational. We look forward to bringing other industry professionals as the year progresses. Please continue to participate and support the RU Investment Club".
The conversation was moderated by Roosevelt student and Investment Club President Justus Peters. An industrious student, Peters is earning his degree from the Walter E. Heller College of Business while balancing his role as club President alongside being Captain of the Men’s Tennis team as well as membership on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
During the conversation, Erica Marquez Avitia shared her journey from DePaul University to a successful career in finance. She emphasized the importance of internships, networking and gaining practical experience. Avitia’s career journey spans finance, technology and entrepreneurship. Avitia began her career with internships at Bank of America, Toyota Motor Sales and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the early 2000s. In 2004, Avitia joined Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing LP, where she progressed from Associate to Vice President, a role she held until 2013. Following this, Avitia became the Chief Operating Officer at Old Mission, a proprietary trading firm with offices in Chicago, London and New York. She emphasized that this firm hires college seniors for full-time roles and interns for software development and trading. The firm also offers benefits like free lunch, tuition reimbursement and health care. Avitia highlighted the firm's focus on collaboration, continuous improvement and a competitive environment. She advised students to take accounting and programming courses, read financial publications and build networks for career success.
Avitia also reflected on the unique challenges women face in corporate America, particularly in male-dominated fields like trading. She recalls her early years at Goldman Sachs, where gender parity in the analyst class was notable, but as she advanced in her career, she noticed fewer women in senior roles. Despite these obstacles, including a lack of diversity, Avitia credits her upbringing as a first-generation Mexican and the eldest of five for teaching her resilience in a cutthroat environment. The conversation concluded with audience questions and informal mingling with food and drinks. The entire conversation was full of helpful information for these aspiring traders, but Avitia emphasized this piece of advice for her students:
“Hustle. You’ve got to find those opportunities to hustle to be able to differentiate yourself from the person who's sitting next to you. I have thrived on saying yes when most people say no.”
