Student Spotlight: Noah DeCastro ‘24

Noah DeCastro ’24 chose UMass Amherst to get the enriching experience of a large school. The Maynard, Mass., native says his experience at Isenberg has pushed him beyond his comfort zone, provided invaluable experiences, and laid a solid foundation for a promising career in finance.

How did you choose Isenberg and UMass Amherst?

I grew up in Maynard, a very small town in Massachusetts, and went to a very small high school. I appreciated this experience as it allowed me to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities such as athletics, band, and clubs while maintaining my academic courseload and working part-time. While this was helpful in me becoming a more well-rounded individual, when it came time to choose a college, I wanted to have a different experience and have a large school experience. This was something that I knew would push me outside of my comfort zone and help me to put myself out there more.

What did you major in?

During my time at Isenberg, I majored in finance on the financial analyst track as well as received a certificate in real estate analysis.

How did you choose this combination of majors?

Given my desire to work in high finance, I focused on the finance path early on. Once I decided on this, I utilized the mentorship network I had built through my classes and on-campus clubs to choose the financial analyst track as I was told it had the most carryover. In terms of the certification I received, I was early on placed in the REITs sector of the on-campus Equity Fund and through the mentorship of my senior analyst and the dedication of my roommate who was a member of the Real Estate Fund, I developed a passion for the industry and wanted to specialize more in it.

What have been your favorite classes and experiences at Isenberg so far?

Advanced Investments, taught by Robert Feingold, was my favorite course, not only was Professor Feingold an engaging and talented lecturer who showed a real interest in helping his students break into high finance, but he was also able to interject the lessons he had learned as a portfolio manager, which made for an extremely beneficial course. Finally, by providing us with the tools to perform an actual stock analysis on a company of our choosing, I credit it with being an indispensable experience that helped get me to where I am today.

What clubs and extracurriculars do you participate in?

The clubs that I participated in during my time at UMass were first and foremost the Minutemen Equity Fund—I was accepted and participated in this club for six semesters as an Equity Research Analyst covering REITs, Financials, Energy & Utilities, and Healthcare. I also served as the chairman of the fund for a year. I participated in the UMass Finance Society from the first moment I got on campus, eventually being selected as the co-president of the club for a year. Finally, I was involved in Smart Woman Securities, where I acted as a senior mentor for prospective young students wanting to learn more about finance.

Have you had any jobs or internships during college?

As a rising sophomore, I was an associate marketing analyst at a behavioral telehealth startup in my area, and following a successful summer I came back for a winter internship as a business development analyst. As a rising junior, I moved down to North Carolina to work as a treasury intern at Advance Auto Parts. As a rising senior, I worked in Boston at Fidelity Investments in their asset management division as an equity research associate intern. I am currently working at a nonprofit called CareerSpring which caters towards helping first-generation college students find success in business and finance.

What are you planning after graduation?

Following the conclusion of my work at the nonprofit CareerSpring, I will be starting work full-time in July back at Fidelity Investments as equity research associate.

If you could go back and give your first-year self some advice, what would you tell them?

The main advice I can give to first-year students is that there is no such thing as a bad experience. Getting internships and jobs is a challenging and scary process—one that often leads to a lot of dead ends and rejections. Expecting things to work out perfectly right away is a surefire way to end up disappointed—your first pitch doesn’t have to be your best pitch, your first internship doesn’t have to become your first full-time job, and your first full-time job doesn’t have to be your career. I tried a variety of different internships, jobs, and extracurriculars that weren’t right for me, but I wouldn’t trade any of them away as they all helped me become a little bit better of a person, student, and professional and led me to the place where I want to be. As I go into a job that I couldn’t be more excited about, I go in with all the experiences I have had before propping me up and leading me forward.

Do you have a mentor from the Isenberg community who has helped shape your experience?

I have many mentors from my time at UMass, but the one I would like to highlight is Veda Nagaraja ’23—my first senior analyst from my time in the Minutemen Equity Fund. Upon coming to this school, I was unsure about how I could accomplish the lofty goals that I had set for myself, and once I was accepted into MEF I knew the real work was only just beginning. However, while navigating the first semi-normal year post-COVID, my standard class load, and trying to find ways to enjoy college and socialize, my mentor was always there for me—meeting every single day of the fall semester of my sophomore year to help shape me into the person I am today. I am happy to say that I still regularly keep in contact with her and consider her one of my closest friends.