Allison Ferreira

Boston College, Carroll School of Management

“Embracing life with a compassionate heart and open mind, creating opportunity out of my identicalness.”

Fun fact about yourself: I ran a marathon in Barcelona last March while studying abroad at ESADE Business School.

Hometown: Marshfield, MA

High School: Notre Dame Academy, Hingham, MA

Major: Finance and Information Systems

Minor: International Studies for Management

Favorite Business Course: Investment Banking with Professor Darren Kisgen

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• Undergraduate Research Assistant— Department of Management and Organization
• Research and Operations Assistant— Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship
• Undergraduate Research Assistant— Department of Finance
• Women Innovators Network— President
• Advisor to a Boston College student-run startup
• Boston College Portfolio Challenge— Top 10 Finalist
• Appalachian Service Program— Volunteer
• Boston College Splash Teacher— Taught Introduction to Programming and Business

Where have you interned during your college career?

• UBS (San Francisco, CA): Summer Investment Banking Analyst, Technology Group
• State Street Corporation (Boston, MA): Corporate Finance Intern

Where will you be working after graduation? UBS Investment Bank— Investment Banking Analyst

What company do you admire most?  I admire Blick Art Materials. Blick is one of the nation’s largest and oldest family-owned provider of art supplies. In addition to their quality art supplies, they also sell some of my favorite trinkets— mini succulents and a variety of logic games. Blick also prioritizes giving back to the community through supporting art and education programs, empowering art students and teachers, and promoting local artists.

Who is your favorite professor? My favorite professor is Darren Kisgen. His Investment Banking class is an experience similar to “opening up the very best present on Christmas morning.” Professor Kisgen is incredibly passionate about finance and brings a unique perspective with his experience in both industry and academia. In his spare time, Professor Kisgen also creates and sells strategy board games. He is very caring towards his students, takes his responsibility as an educator very seriously, and challenges his students to deeply understand the material to become tactical problem-solvers in any environment.

What did you enjoy most about your business school? I love how the Carroll School’s curriculum includes a business core requirement and also a liberal arts core requirement. The core classes are structured around Boston College’s Jesuit values, embodying Jesuit philosophies such as “men and women for others” and cura personalis meaning “care for the entire person.” The core curriculum has enabled me to learn from my peers in other schools and explore fields that I find incredibly interesting such as computer science, Spanish (language, literature, and art), painting, and development economics, to name a few. The core curriculum has taught me how to think more critically and creatively, and I am excited to fuse these interests into my business career.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? It is crucial that you think deeply about why you want to pursue a certain area of business. Remember to always stay true to your values. This may seem obvious, but sometimes we do not always listen to our inner voices. Try to envision where your studies will take you in the future. Is that where you want to be and the work that you want to do? What type of impact do you want to make in the lives of others?

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am proud to be president of an organization called Women Innovators Network (WIN), run under Boston College’s Shea Center for Entrepreneurship. WIN’s mission is to foster and grow the number of women passionate about technology and business. WIN currently has over 900 general members and I lead an executive board of 13 inspiring women. Together, we executed over 20 events last semester, ranging from skill and career development workshops (e.g. coding workshops), a mentorship program, a discussion group, and community bonding activities. WIN has helped me find my purpose at Boston College— to cultivate my passion for business and innovation in my peers, and to help build the confidence and skillsets of females entering traditionally male-dominated industries.

Which classmate do you most admire? I really admire Elizabeth Hanley (CSOM and MCAS ‘20). Lizzy is Vice President of the Women Innovators Network. She is one of the most inclusive, caring, and thoughtful leaders I know. She is eager to motivate and build up others’ self-esteem. Additionally, Lizzy is an incredibly smart, open-minded, and creative thinker. She inspires me to think in new ways, and she encouraged me in my decision to explore the technology scene in San Francisco this past summer.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I am grateful to my mom and dad for their love and the many sacrifices they have made for my education. My dad has always been my inspiration. He was the first in his family to go to college, paying for his college tuition all by himself. He used to work the overnight shifts at UPS loading boxes into trucks and study the rest of the day. My dad taught me early on what a strong work ethic and discipline really is. He taught me what it truly means to be a selfless human being, to put others before yourself. In addition, each morning before school from elementary school throughout high school, my dad and I would watch the stock tickers on TV together; he would answer all of my curious questions, which led to my desire to learn more about finance.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Currently, it’s my dream to someday be a venture capitalist. I want to help solve the gender gap in technology and entrepreneurship by investing in gender-diverse or female-founded companies. Women are extremely underrepresented in both venture capital and technology and I want to help accelerate our growth in influential sectors. Additionally, I would like to invest in social impact ventures to address the pressing social and environmental issues of our time.

2. I dream of someday becoming a professor. I would like to teach and create a business course(s), perhaps in venture capital, private equity, or investment banking after gaining industry experience.

What are your hobbies? I really enjoy long-distance running through nature’s scenic routes, especially on the beach roads of Cape Cod. You can also find me painting, conveying my interests and emotions in abstract ways. Additionally, I love spontaneous international travel adventures, riding horses (competitive jumping), yoga, cooking, and conversing and listening to music in Spanish.

What made Allison such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?  

“Academically Allison is exceptional, but even more important she is a kind, respectful person who adds positive energy to the classroom with insightful contributions and enthusiasm. Her work on projects was also excellent. Not only did she have the required technical skills for a challenging class like Investment Banking, but also her writing was some of the best I have seen from a business student. I also appreciate her humility.  Despite all her clear strengths, she has managed to remain humble. She exemplifies the best of what BC produces: students with both intellect and character.”

Darren Kisgen
Associate Professor
Finance

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