I've been fascinated by business and finance since my discovery of it in my junior year of high school. I was introduced to the world of stocks, commodities, and everything in between by my best friend at the time and have used it to fuel my passion for learning ever since. Prior to a semester break, I had heard him talking about cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and the stock market to a mutual friend. Following this I decided to pursue that curiosity and through the wonders of YouTube, I learned everything I needed to know about the blockchain, NTFs, and the stock market. Upon returning from break in Brazil I implored my dad to get me a brokerage account and immediately made some less than smart investments. Although I made my fair share of mistakes, I have leveraged them as learning opportunities, and I haven't stopped learning since. I've developed strong interpersonal skills living in two cultures. My passion for learning has compelled me to seek challenging coursework. In addition to my classes in high school I was a Football captain, and a leader in two varsity sports. At the University of Massachusetts, I've found my stride as a member of three different industry focused clubs, and a student in 200 and 300 level classes as a freshman. I'm interested in connecting with professionals working in finance to learn more about different careers and sectors, as well as identify different internship opportunities. Feel free to reach out at cdrinkwater@umass.edu