When I finished High School in Stockholm, Sweden I thought I had to make a tough decision: Soccer or Academics? Even though I got accepted to one of the finest Universities in Sweden I was not ready to give up what had always been such a central part of my life: soccer. Then all of a sudden it hit me: America! I had heard that at no other place could you combine high -level athletics with excellent academics. I chose Hobart and William Smith Colleges for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I knew that the geographical closeness to New York City in general and Wall Street in particular would help me immensely as my goal from day 1 was to land a job in the financial services industry. From an athletic standpoint, I knew that Hobart Soccer had experienced a lot of success in the past and wanted to be a part of the program. I knew that competing against some of the best Division III teams in the country and fighting to make it to the NCAA playoffs every year would be the athletic challenge for me.

     What never struck me before I moved, however, was that I would never have gotten a job at Credit Suisse if it was not for the fact that I was an athlete. Employers in every industry, not just finance, actively search for student-athletes as they know that many of the attributes one can find in them are highly applicable and useful in a working environment. The ability to work in a team, time management, and a strong will to succeed are all attributes that will help you as a student-athlete land a job with excellent institutions across industries.

     I knew immediately that going to College in the U.S was the right decision for me. I grew tremendously as a person, athlete, and student during my time at Hobart. My experience at one of the best institutions in the country prepared me for whatever task I might face in the future.

     Note from the editor: after spending almost 3 years at Credit Suisse, Marco is now part of the Connectivity Team at Facebook. Congratulations Marco!