Abbey Hochreiner
Tulane University, AB Freeman School of Business
“Ambitious, analytical, and community-driven—balancing big spreadsheets with even bigger dreams.”
Fun fact about yourself: I love to run! My goal is to complete a half marathon in every place I have lived or studied. So far, I have finished races in Barcelona, Madrid, and New Orleans.
Hometown: Springfield, NJ
High School: Jonathan Dayton High School
Major: Finance & Economics
Minor: N/A
Favorite Business Course: Burkenroad Reports (FINE 4160) with Professor Ricchiuti and Professor Wood. My team published an equity research report on a publicly traded company headquartered in the South. We traveled to the company’s headquarters to meet with the CFO and investor relations team, further solidifying my passion for equity research.
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
Altman Program in International Studies & Business: Altman Scholar. A dual degree program (150+ credits) that integrates liberal arts and business disciplines, extensive language instruction, and study abroad experiences.
Girls Who Invest: Online Intensive Scholar. An educational program aimed at increasing the number of women in portfolio management and executive leadership in the asset management industry.
Community Action Council of Tulane Students: Vice President (2025), Vice Chair of Administration (2024), Treasurer (2022-23), Freshman Leadership Board (2021). An umbrella organization that facilitates all service projects and organizations on campus in addition to sponsoring campus-wide service events.
Global Guides: Director of Student Outreach (2025), Chairperson of the Board (2024), Board Member (2021-2023). A leadership organization that facilitates events and programs to connect local, international, and exchange students in the A.B. Freeman School of Business.
World Development Scholar Society: Peer Mentor (2022-23). An honors society of twenty first-year students focused on geography, institutions, trade, the Incas, colonial economies, and other international economic development concepts.
Delta Sigma Pi: Member (2022-25)
Distinguished Scholars Scholarship Recipient
Dean’s List all semesters at Tulane
Steward Foundation Case Competition, Runner-Up
Studied abroad in Madrid, Spain (Spring 2024); Barcelona, Spain (Fall 2023); Mérida, Mexico (Summer 2022)
Where have you interned during your college career?
J.P. Morgan: Equity Research Markets Summer Analyst (New York, NY)
Magnetar Capital: Alternative Credit & Fixed Income Summer Analyst (Evanston, IL)
BOC Capital: Loan Fund Intern (New York, NY/Remote)
Where will you be working after graduation? Equity Research Analyst at J.P. Morgan in NYC
Who is your favorite business professor?
My favorite business professor is Professor Yest. I have taken three of his classes throughout my business school career: Introduction to Financial Management in Mérida, Mexico, during my freshman year, Advanced Financial Management in my sophomore year, and The Aaron Selber Jr. Course on Distressed Debt in my senior year. Under his instruction, I progressed from learning what a stock was to developing my own investment pitches backed by financial models.
Professor Yest makes complex financial concepts accessible and engaging through his interactive lecture style. He challenges me to apply academic concepts to real-world scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of finance. Most notably, in The Aaron Selber Jr. Course on Distressed Debt, he connects my classmates and me with industry-leading distressed debt mentors to refine our investment theses and analyses. Beyond academics, Professor Yest has been a supportive mentor. I know I can continue to count on him to guide me through my academic and professional career.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I learned from studying business is that being a team player and collaborating effectively with others is key to success. Group projects are central to both the A.B. Freeman School of Business and my professional experiences. Over the past four years, I learned to lead and adapt to different group dynamics. Some of my best presentations and ideas have come from brainstorming with classmates, where we each contribute our unique life experiences and specialties to develop innovative solutions, especially during my Business Capstone class’s case competition. I have also learned that fostering trust, open communication, and understanding within teams is essential for success, as things will inevitably not go as planned.
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Have confidence! People will not believe in you until you believe in yourself. Growing up, I was more reserved than others. The first time I entered a room full of business professionals to network, I felt awkward and out of place. However, I quickly realized that I needed to craft my story and deliver it confidently to succeed. In business, you will be tasked with projects or asked questions you do not know the answer to, but what sets you apart is the confidence to work through uncertainty and to find a solution.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I wish I had leveraged my business knowledge to make an impact in the New Orleans community sooner. Tulane University’s strong commitment to service was one of the many reasons I chose to attend. One of my business classes this semester includes a service-learning component where we volunteer at The Green Project, analyzing operations and presenting recommendations to management. I have genuinely enjoyed combining my passion for business and service and wish I had gotten involved earlier. I look forward to continuing to create a meaningful impact through business in my future endeavors.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? I am currently taking an AI tester course called Management of Technology and Innovation with Professor Wilson, where we explore AI through a tool called Boodle Box. Professor Wilson encourages us to use AI creatively, including making our own bots and utilizing existing ones to develop a disruptive innovation prototype and offer strategic recommendations to improve balanced scorecards in a Capsim Global company simulation. One key insight I have gained is that resisting AI will only leave you behind. I was initially hesitant and intimidated by the idea of AI, especially after seeing headlines that it could potentially do many of our jobs better.
Nonetheless, I pushed myself to continue to use the tool and learn the ins and outs of it. After double-checking its outputs, I have found that the tool improves my work quality and speed. In the future, I look forward to using AI to enhance my ideas rather than replace them.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of my contributions to Global Guides, an organization that aims to foster a globally aware and inclusive community at the A.B. Freeman School of Business. After studying abroad in Spain for a full academic year as an Altman scholar, I felt isolated at times, noticing a disconnect between local and exchange students. Upon returning, I felt a strong desire to bridge that gap at Tulane, ensuring exchange students felt connected and welcomed. I took on a larger role, becoming Chairperson of the Board in the Fall and Director of Student Outreach in the Spring by pairing 20+ exchange students with local students as “buddies.” I also worked with Freeman Abroad and the Center of Global Education to secure funding for coffee chats to connect local and exchange students. Next year, the organization will transition to a recognized student organization, expanding its outreach beyond the business school. In the meantime, I am mentoring younger leaders to ensure a smooth transition. My contribution to the organization is most meaningful to me because I get to work directly with students. I can already see the impact the organization has made as exchange students form strong friendships with local students.
Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I most admire is Josef Kiesenhofer. I have known him since freshman year, and he truly embodies Tulane’s spirit, from working in the admissions office to mentoring peers, including myself, on study abroad experiences. Josef has challenged me to think critically about cross-cultural awareness, especially during my year abroad, by helping me understand how different cultural perspectives shape our actions and responses. He has taught me that while planning is essential, adaptability and open- mindedness are key to success. His exceptional presentation skills have also influenced my own, and I credit much of my success in presentations to learning from him. I have no doubt he will achieve great things at Goldman Sachs after graduation.
Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would not be where I am today without my mom. Many children dream of becoming like their mom when they grow up, and that aspiration has never stopped for me. My mom is one of the most selfless and hardworking people I know. Watching her work in business from a young age inspired my own career path and goals. Despite working long hours, I could always count on my mom to help me with my math homework or cheer me on at my sports games. She continuously pushes me to challenge myself academically and professionally, fueling my curiosity and hunger for knowledge. From a young age, she instilled a core set of values in me, like honoring my commitments, staying humble, and treating everyone with kindness, which has undoubtedly contributed to my success.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? A few years ago, I found one of my projects from elementary school that said, “When I grow up, I want to be an accountant.” I can only imagine it stood out among aspirations to be astronauts, doctors, or scientists. While I will not be an accountant after graduation, my long-term goal is to become the Chief Financial Officer of a company or a large division of a company. In the short term, my goal is to be a contributing member of a top-ranked Institutional Investor All-America Equity Research Team.
What made Abbey such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?
“Abbey exemplifies the values of academic rigor, leadership, global awareness, and community service, making her an irreplaceable part of our educational community here at Tulane University. Her ability to blend rigorous coursework, real-world experience, and a commitment to social impact highlights her extraordinary potential and invaluable presence at Tulane University.”
Charlotte Battiest
Director, Undergraduate Student Experience, Office of Undergraduate Education
Freeman School of Business, Tulane University
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