2019 Best & Brightest: Jeffrey Shanfeldt, Lehigh University

Jeffrey Shanfeldt

Lehigh University

“A dedicated, hard-working student-athlete with a knack for numbers and forming meaningful relationships.”

Fun fact about yourself: Both my brother and I are colorblind.

Hometown: Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania

High School: Garnet Valley High School

Major: Finance and Accounting

Minor: Anthropology

Favorite Business Course: Advanced Topics: Financial Modeling

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College: Varsity Baseball player, Jewish Sports Review Baseball All-American 2018, Student-Athlete Council Member, former member of the Community Outreach by Athletes Who Care About Helping, 2018 Second Team All-Patriot League, 2018 Patriot League All-Academic team, 3x Patriot League Honor Roll, 6x Deans List, Nelson Leighton Bond Memorial Prize Winner, Awarded a merit based scholarship by the Athletic Department, Co-President of the CBE Junior and Senior Board, TRAC Fellow Writing Tutor/Mentor, Club Council, Co-Founder of Lehigh Young Professionals Mentorship Program, Council of Presidents, Dreyfus Investment Portfolio, Finance Club, Accounting Club

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • Chatham Asset Management:
    • Chatham, New Jersey
    • Financial intern directly shadowing full-time employees
  • Citigroup
    • New York, New York
    • Investment Banking Summer Analyst in the Global Power and Utilities Division

Where will you be working after graduation? Citigroup as a full-time investment banking analyst.

What company do you admire most? Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Since 1962, when Warren Buffett began buying stock in Berkshire Hathaway, the company has become a global leader in its acquisitions, diversifications and long term planning.

Who is your favorite professor?  My favorite professor is Professor Nandu Nayar because he treated the students in his class like they would be treated in the real world rather than as college students. In my opinion, his financial modeling course prepared me better for my summer at Citi than any other class I’ve taken at Lehigh.

What did you enjoy most about your business school? The sense of community buzzing around the halls. Walking around Rauch brings back memories of high school where there were friends around every corner.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Challenge yourself and get involved.  The hard work you put in now will set you up for the future. The harder you work, the luckier you’ll get.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? It was a revelation to see how intertwined all of the various business disciplines are. It seemed as if many of the concepts and lessons that I learned in other classes in the business school were equally applicable in other subjects in the business curriculum.

“If I didn’t major in business, I would be majoring in or studying…Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Aerospace Engineering. As I mention on my bucket list, it is a dream of mine to go to outer space and I think the science behind sending people there is fascinating.”

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My brother Matthew influenced my decision to pursue business in college. He earned a master’s degree in accounting from Penn State University, passed the CPA exam, and had secured a full-time position with Ernst and Young before I came to Lehigh. Seeing the success he achieved and knowing he and I shared some common skill sets and aptitudes, made me believe that I could succeed in a similar manner.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am incredibly proud to have been awarded the Nelson Leighton Bond Memorial Prize because receiving this award affirmed that my hard work as a double major had been recognized and was valued.

Which classmate do you most admire? I most admire my teammate and friend, Ryan Malloy. Not only is he a bright student, but his work ethic is second to none and motivates me to be better every day.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I want to thank my Mom for my success. She has sacrificed so much to provide my brother and me with a wonderful childhood, a loving home and the ability for both of us to find success at the universities of our choice. Everything I do is owed to her.

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

  • Watch a World Series game 7 at Wrigley Field
  • Go into Outer Space

What are your hobbies?

  • Playing baseball
  • Enjoying time with family and friends
  • Cooking
  • Playing video games

What made Jeffrey such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2019?

“Jeff was always very articulate and frequently raised questions that brought our class discussions to a higher level of depth and learning. He has a sincere passion to succeed at the highest levels in everything he does.  Whether in an accounting class or on the baseball field, Jeff is driven to succeed.  He is also an outstanding team player and supporter of his classmates with anything from classwork to career networking strategies.”

Joseph M. Manzo
Professor of Practice, Accounting
Lehigh University
College of Business and Economics

 

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