As part of the inaugural class participating in The Arch at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, rising junior Zeyi Zhang ’21, an economics and aeronautical engineering dual major, secured a fall semester away internship opportunity with Crestview in New York City.

Founded in 2004 by six entrepreneurial partners, Crestview, a value-oriented private equity firm, manages funds with approximately $9 billion of capital commitments. Their business strategy focuses on six key areas including partnership focus, creative solutions, proprietary sourcing, industry expertise, value-add approach, and strong alignment. With more than 25 years of experience per partner, Crestview works with companies across a variety of industries with a focus on media, financial services, energy, and industrials.

As a dual major, Zhang’s primary focus is on finance. “I also find engineering interesting and continue to pursue it because the training I’ve received from the School of Engineering at RPI is very rigorous and useful for a solid background in STEM,” he said. “Also, the ability to solve problems from an engineering perspective is an important quality employers are seeking.”

When asked about his fall semester away experience, which relates to both his economics and aeronautical engineering majors, Zhang said, “I’ve found my dream job, where I’m able to get valuable training outside of the classroom.” He encourages other students searching for an away opportunity to pursue something that they have always wanted to try and to think about how it will contribute to their future career.

To secure his internship opportunity and keep his undergraduate academic experience on track, Zhang utilized the Center for Career and Professional Development, International Services for Students and Scholars, and the academic hubs.

After graduation, Zhang plans on pursuing a master’s degree in finance.