My Bradley Internship at Bloomberg

By Jocelyn Avalos, Senior

I’m a first-generation college student majoring in Marketing and Management Information Systems and the proud daughter of two Mexican immigrants. Growing up outside of Chicago, I always admired the business professionals working in the luxury high rises of the city and I knew that I wanted to be part of that world one day.

I chose to pursue marketing because it is all about connecting with people and merging strategy with creativity. I joined ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals for America), Kappa Delta, the Bradley Collegiate Sales Team, and I have an on-campus job as a tour guide. In my junior year, I interned at a financial exchange in Chicago, which was a dream come true for the little girl inside of me. With that, I knew I could aim for something bigger.

I learned about Bloomberg at the financial exchange and was really impressed by the company’s transparency in the markets, so I decided to apply for an internship with them for the following summer. I knew it was a long shot because they receive more than 4,000 applicants a year. But then I remembered that I have an entire community at Bradley supporting me, and professors like Brad Eskridge, who are willing to take time out of their day to do mock interviews and give me that boost of confidence I needed.

I was thrilled when I landed the internship last summer at Bloomberg’s global headquarters in New York City in their sales and analytics program. I learned about various financial instruments and who Bloomberg customers are and how to best help them. In my role, I shadowed Bloomberg reps and engaged in numerous panel discussions with top leadership.  

Reflecting on the experience, the biggest lesson was the importance of giving back to the community. Bloomberg is all about making the world a better place through education, environmental sustainability and supporting local communities and small businesses. It's empowering to be part of an organization with a genuine commitment to positive impact. 

I’ve had an incredible journey at Bradley, and I'm grateful for the opportunities and connections that have shaped my path here. I chose Bradley because I knew the small class sizes would enable me to be part of a community stronger than I could have ever imagined. My involvement in student organizations and the support of alumni and my caring professors have helped me reach beyond my wildest dreams.