Inside…
HU Junior Gets $10K Scholarship and Internship
Hampton University sophomore Henry Porche was among some 35 college students to receive the Goldman Sachs Scholarship For Excellence award this year.
In addition to the $10,000 scholarship, Porche, 20, won the company's internship, and will work in their New York headquarters this summer. Both distinctions were given separate consideration.
The Goldman Sachs Scholarship For Excellence is awarded every year to black, Hispanic or Native American sophomore and junior college students who possess outstanding academic achievement and community service, and have a minimum 3.4 GPA.
Porche, an entrepreneurial major, said he recognizes it's an honor to work at such a prestigious firm.
HU junior Henry Porche receives the Goldman Sachs internship and Scholarship For Excellence
"As far as Wall Street, Goldman Sachs, is the top of the top of the top," Porche said. "It (being selected) felt good."
Goldman Sachs is one of the world's largest global investment banks. In 2007, it was named one of the 100 greatest places to work in "Fortune" magazine, and lists 12,542 United States employees. In addition to healthy salaries, the firm reportedly makes healthy contributions to eligible employees' retirement plans.
Porche discovered the opportunity through his own research for scholarships, and was encouraged to follow through by the HU Career Counseling and Planning Center.
After a preliminary interview in downtown Hampton and five interviews at "Superday" at Goldman Sachs' headquarters, Porche was notified in February he won the scholarship and the internship.
At "Superday," a day of interviewing by Goldman Sachs employees, Porche had Ivy League competition, including students from Yale, Harvard and Stanford, he said.
In addition to his extensive research on Goldman Sachs and the investment industry overall, Porche says it's his answer to a shrewd question that might have put him over the top. When asked if he only had $100 to his name, what he'd do with it, Porche replied, "I'd invest it."
"The interviewer said 'that's exactly the answer we were looking for from someone in this position,'" Porche said.
After graduating from HU, Porche wants to work as either a securities trader or investment banker, and eventually parlay that into entrepreneurship.
He's on the right track.
"I was a little bit intimidated," Porche said, "but this is something I've been dreaming about."
-Leha Byrd