Road to Wall Street Program allows first-generation student to chart his future in finance

At Rutgers Business School, finance major Bryson Morales learned that success starts with embracing what makes you different – a lesson he learned through Road to Wall Street, one of the school's industry-specific Road to Success Programs.

The son of Guatemalan immigrants, Morales grew up working in his family’s pizzeria in Hackettstown and once believed the safest way to get ahead was to blend in. “Through Road to Wall Street, mentors helped me realize what makes me different is why I’ve gotten so far,” he said. “In a competitive process, you don’t want to blend in – you want to stand out.”

Multi-tiered mentoring is the hallmark of Road to Wall Street. “I really did enjoy having those three layers of mentorship, because you get three different perspectives, but also three different types of advice,” Morales said. The senior industry mentor guided him on big-picture career decisions, while the recent alum and upperclassman offered practical help with class selection, recruiting strategies and interview preparation.

Road to Wall Street is a selective program for students pursuing finance careers. About 60 are chosen from hundreds of applicants each year. The program takes students to leading Wall Street firms to meet Rutgers alumni and see the finance world firsthand. A three-credit course taught by Managing Director Ken Freeman anchors the program, combining technical training with professional development and real-world perspective. 

Morales now serves as a teaching assistant for that course and on the Road to Wall Street leadership team, holding office hours, breaking down complex material and coaching sophomores through technical interviews. He holds onto a truth Freeman shared in class: “Where you start is not where you finish.”

Freeman said Morales is not only very smart and hardworking but “very relatable: that is his superpower.” He inspires students to achieve their goals and, rather than letting his accomplishments “go to his head, he takes the perspective of, ‘If I can do it, you can do it,’’’ Freeman said.

In class, “he holds himself to an incredibly high standard and focuses on understanding concepts rather than just getting the right answer," Freeman said. "That’s incredibly unique.” 

Through the Rutgers Student Managed Fund, Morales applied classroom knowledge to real investment decisions, supervising five junior analysts and helping manage a $420,000 equity portfolio. This academic year, he moved into a senior-advisor role to “pass the baton” and give another student the same learning opportunity.

Balancing those commitments hasn’t been easy. With a 50-minute commute to the RBS-New Brunswick campus and at least 20 hours a week at his family’s restaurant, Morales has to stay on top of every hour of his day. “Time management is huge,” he said, “but the real key has been communication – being proactive with professors, my parents, and internship managers so everyone knows what I’m juggling.”

Even early on, his efforts were being recognized. When Morales decided to attend Rutgers, he was selected to be a member of the Business Student Transition Access & Retention (B-STAR) Program for high-performing students. As a sophomore, his academic success and his involvement in both B-STAR and Road to Wall Street resulted in him receiving a scholarship created by a gift from Rutgers Business School alumnus Robert Platek and MSD Partners.

His internships in finance confirmed Morales was on the right path. The summer after sophomore year, he worked at Soros Fund Management, and he recently completed a summer analyst internship at Moelis & Company. “Banking is intense, but it’s an environment where I thrive,” said Morales, who landed a full-time job offer from Moelis & Company.

During high school and into college, Morales trained as a boxer, a pursuit that shaped his approach to academics and work. “You can’t fake being ready for a fight,” he said. “It’s about discipline, consistency and showing up. Be incrementally better every day.”

Morales’ advice to another first-generation student eyeing Wall Street: “Lean on your differences. Own your story. Put that part-time job on the resume. That’s what makes you memorable.”

-Margaret McHugh