What the Future Holds… A sneak-peak series into where our graduates have been and are headed!

Brennan Murray, MIB 2022, Summer Analyst @ Tufts University Investment Office

We often hear the phrase ‘Make your passion your pay check’, but more often than not, it is a hard goal to achieve. Here at Fletcher and the IBGC, our students have been repeatedly seen to achieve this goal. What’s their secret sauce, you ask? They all walk their own unique path and develop their distinct approach to find what truly drives them. What fuels this journey? Undeterred focus.

To bring one such unique approach to you, we spoke with Brennan Murray who is joining the Tufts Investment Office after graduation. He spoke to us about how he found this internship, the work he did, the things he loved and the challenges he faced:

How did you find an internship at the Tufts Investment Office?

I attended an in-person information session at Fletcher organized by the Investment Office. It was a great chance to hear an overview of how Tufts invests its endowment assets and ask questions firsthand.

What roles were you entrusted with to perform at this organization?

Primarily, I had the privilege to work with the team members managing the Omidyar-Trust Active Citizenship Trust (OT-ACT), a sleeve of the endowment committed to investments targeting positive social and environmental impacts. I helped draft the 2021 impact report for OT-ACT and contributed to the development of the Investment Office’s impact measurement and management (IMM) processes. I also attended meetings with prospective investment fund managers and collaborated with Officers and Directors to compile investment proposals.

What did you enjoy most about your internship?

Very few university endowments have a dedicated impact portfolio. Being able to take ownership of OT-ACT’s annual impact report and participate in manager diligence efforts was a genuinely unique opportunity. I feel I gained valuable, marketable experience. Furthermore, the Investment Office is just a great place to work. Everyone’s doors are open, and the team is always exchanging ideas and seeking input from colleagues.

What did you find challenging?

Industry norms for impact investing are still evolving, and both investment managers and their underlying portfolio companies report on impact in many ways. From a data collection and presentation standpoint, this creates challenges. It requires a mix of objectivity and judgement. I was proud to see the Investment Office leading by example in this space including by playing an active role in key industry conversations.

What advice would you offer to someone who wants to make the most of an internship like yours?

Be curious. Especially if you’re new to the investments space, it can be tempting to take information at face value, whether it’s pitch deck or a quarterly report or a news article. The reward comes when you’re able to paint a fuller picture on a certain topic or investment opportunity by thinking critically, asking questions, and tying together multiple strands of information.

As Brennan wraps up his last semester at Fletcher, his insightful words and advice come with the opportunity to apply for a summer 2023 internship at the Tufts Investment Office. This opportunity is exclusively for Fletcher students!

For all interested first and second years, learn more and apply here.