“You’ll learn along the way:” New graduate Jose Maldonado Cabello reflects on his time at USF and professional growth

This May, Jose Maldonado Cabello graduated Magna Cum Laude with a double major in finance and econometrics from USF. After a successful internship as an investment banking summer analyst at ING —a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation — in New York, Maldonado Cabello is heading back to New York this summer to work as an incoming debt capital markets analyst at ING. 

Growing up in Venezuela, Maldonado has had a connection to USF long before he began as a student. “I think USF has been home since around six years old,” Maldonado Cabello says. “My older brothers graduated from here. I wanted to be a part of a growing environment that wants me to succeed, and USF has done that for me,” he says. “I’ve enjoyed my time here immensely.” 

During his last semester, Maldonado Cabello took Strategic Management and Decision-Making class with Assistant Professor of Instruction A.J. Chauradia, calling the class an impactful part of his education. “It was one of the most hands-on classes I’ve taken,” Maldonado Cabello notes. “We did group simulations and had to make business decisions in a constantly changing simulation. The whole class was very interactive.” 

“Joining the Investment Club was probably the most important decision I made while at USF,” Maldonado Cabello says. “I’ve worked many different roles in the club, from a general member to a divisional member in the asset management division, which simulates how an investment bank usually operates.” 

The Investment Club at USF is run by students and offers experience and networking in its five divisions: asset management, executive office, global investment research, investment strategy and placement. Maldonado Cabello also helped expand the club’s budget in order to provide students more opportunities. 

Every year for the past five years, the Investment Club hosts a Student Investment Tournament, which is a collegiate investment competition that drew over 100 teams this year. Held for the first time at the Muma College of Business. Teams analyzed a publicly traded company to build a comprehensive investment thesis, which was defended in front of a panel of industry professionals. This event featured a keynote conversation with USF alumnus Jeff Reynolds, senior vice president at UBS Wealth Management.

“We broke the record in fundraising,” Maldonado Cabello says. “It was our first time holding the fundraiser at the Muma College of Business and it was a huge success.”

“Thanks to all the expertise and soft skill development that the club gave me, it opened the door for me,” Maldonado says, noting that the technical skills he developed during his time in the investment club helped prepare him for his internship with ING, where on the first day he was told he’d be working as a full-time analyst. 

“I knew that this was where I wanted to be after graduation, so I worked hard and connected with my team,” he says. “It was just a glimpse, but it was so eye-opening.” 

Maldonado Cabello has received support from the Muma College of Business and the Bellini Center for Talent Development, alumni, and peers that he met at USF, but he has also been a mentor for his last years at USF.  “I enjoy being a helping hand for the younger students, just as the older students helped me when I was first starting out,” he says. “If I help students reach their dream jobs, then it helps the USF community as a whole. Your success is everyone’s success.” 

When asked what advice he had for incoming students, Maldonado Cabello notes that saying “yes” to every opportunity is the right mindset. 

“Just say yes. Even if you’re unsure, you’ll learn along the way,” he says. “The more you do, the more you will learn, and the more you will grow professionally and personally.”