As our summer internship with Baylor undergrad, Matt Brugner, came to a close, we asked Matt to share his perspective on the experience.

What surprises did you encounter during your time as our intern?

I did not expect the team to be so receptive and willing to take time out of their days just to teach me. I never felt excluded, which made waking up to go to work all the more exciting.

What was the highlight of your experience?

When I spent time one-on-one with each member of the team. We would sit for an hour and talk about everything from career advice, to investment philosophy basics, to what allocation I should use when saving for an engagement ring. I enjoyed these personalized sessions because everyone sacrificed valuable time to help me improve. During one of these sessions, Rick ran a Monte Carlo simulation with projections for my own retirement (I’d better start saving now).

What kind of job do you think you’ll pursue after college?

This internship reaffirmed my dream to start my own company or work for a small, young firm. I think I will thrive in that environment. I want the ability to make my own decisions and see a company go from nothing to something.

I loved the team/family environment at Hill Investment Group. Everyone cares for one another and for the long-term success of the firm. No one here is clocking in and out just to get a paycheck. I hope for the same in whatever career I find after college.

Any thoughts to summarize the experience?

Professionally, I think I understand more about what it takes to be successful in the real world. You have to be a hard worker and willing to sacrifice to get things done. At the same time, you have to be an idea generator and a forward thinker to have a long-term impact on a firm. You also have to know what is most important in life and how to balance that with your work. I had to actively carve out time with my family and friends, a luxury I take for granted in college.

Also, I think differently about financial services. I wanted to find a field that was more about helping others than earning the biggest commissions. I thought that didn’t really exist, but I was definitely wrong.