Notable Graduates: Jonathan Abbo BSM ’23

Name: Jonathan Abbo

Majors: Finance, Management, Real Estate, Design  

Minor: Architecture 

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida 

Fun fact about yourself: 

I have never tried Coca-Cola. 

Why did you decide to major in business? 
Studying business offered a unique opportunity to combine and develop a wide array of valuable life skills including presenting, researching and negotiating, among many others. Majoring in business also exposed me to like-minded individuals who were equally passionate about business and represented a strong network of ambitious peers. 

What was your favorite course and why? 
My favorite course during my time in the business school was Venture Capital and Private Equity. While this course challenged me in several new ways, it pushed me to learn a lot about a unique and crucial aspect of the business environment. The final presentation required my groupmates and I to demonstrate the wide array of knowledge we had gained over various years in the business school and was a great way of testing our understanding of the class concepts covered throughout the semester. 

Who is your favorite business professor? What made them special?   
My favorite business professor was Mike Hogg, as he genuinely cared about all of his students and made a point to develop a relationship with each student. I first met him during Parents’ Weekend of my freshman year and have always seen him as a great mentor and resource to lean on for questions regarding career plans and academic goals. Professor Hogg taught my Legal Studies in Business class (LGST-3010) and exposed me to an entirely new aspect of business that I found highly interesting. 

Did you participate in any extracurricular activities, community work or leadership roles at Tulane?   
During my time at Tulane, I was involved in a wide variety of activities. Throughout all 4 years, I was a Radio Host for WTUL and ran my own show. During my freshman year, I founded a club, New Music Fridays, that grew to over 100 members by the next year. I was also the Officer of Membership for TU Aviation during its first year on campus and helped the club develop an identity and get its footing in its formative stages. I also took on a role as a mentor for Tulane’s Green Bull Investment Club and helped successfully guide two younger students through the rigorous finance internship application process. 

What do you like to do in your spare time? 
In my spare time, I enjoy listening to and playing music, as I play the guitar, alto and baritone saxophones, piano and ukulele. I also enjoy exercising and playing sports, specifically weight-lifting and basketball. I especially enjoy taking on creative projects in my free time; this includes past projects such as sewing clothes and building fixtures and furniture. 

What is your past work or internship experience?  
Summer 2022 – Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in Dallas, Texas 
Summer 2021 – Summer Analyst at Starwood Property Trust in Miami Beach, FL 
2020-2022 – Digital Media Communications Manager 
Summer 2019 – Special Advisor to The Dominican Republic’s Mission to the United Nations Security Council in New York, New York 
Summer 2018 – Intern Title Analyst at Steven B. Greenfield Law Firm in Boca Raton, Florida  

Where will you be working after graduation? 
Upon graduation, I will begin working at Goldman Sachs in Dallas, Texas. I will be joining their Real Estate Financing Team within the Investment Bank as a full-time analyst. 

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
1. Go to Law School 
2. Work in Real Estate Development 

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of, and why? 
I am most proud of my major in Design. In addition to the significant coordination it took to achieve that major on top of my other 3 majors, I am most proud of this accomplishment because it forced me out of my comfort zone. The Design program was completely different from Tulane’s business curriculum and caused me to reconfigure the way I perceive the built environment and the way in which I expect a class to progress. 

If you were talking to someone who was considering Freeman, what would you tell them? 
I would tell them that not only does Freeman provide them with the tools to succeed, but it offers them every resource possible to find a job before graduation. Freeman’s professors genuinely care about their students and, while all are different, help expose students to a diverse array of teaching styles, practical assignments and projects. 

What are your favorite things to do in New Orleans? Do you have a favorite New Orleans memory? 
My favorite memory in New Orleans is sitting at The Fly on a Friday afternoon until the sun fully sets. The feeling of camaraderie combined with music and the gradually dimming skyline combines to create a truly unparalleled aura. The Fly, and Audubon Park in general, is my happy place in New Orleans.  

Where do you hope to be in five years? 
In five years, I hope to have learned a significant amount from my time at Goldman Sachs and have contributed even more. I am very excited at the prospect of working in Texas for years to come and look forward to getting started soon!