Meet Our Interns
This was the second summer Flat World Partners ran its intern program remotely. Remote work presented unique challenges, but our interns were once again up to the task. Working alongside our research team, Caroline and Jane were an integral part of our impact investing work, taking part in manager calls, sector research, and investment due dilligence. Meet our interns!
Jane Urciuoli
Bio:
Jane is a rising junior at Bowdoin College studying Computer Science and Mathematics. On campus, she is involved with the Alpine Ski Team and volunteers as a tutor at the nearby elementary school. Jane has gained a passion for environmental impact throughout her science, government, and economics classes at Bowdoin and hopes to combine that enthusiasm with her love for quantitative science after undergrad. She is inspired by FWP’s mission and diligence and excited to continue working with them this summer.
What interested you about Flat World Partners?
Flat World Partners was initially intriguing to me because their general mission aligned perfectly with my personal goals — using quantitative skills to make true impact, specifically in the financial world. I was excited to learn how business is conducted and gain literacy in this sector. After speaking to members of the team, however, my interest in FWP become two-fold. Not only was the opportunity in line with my professional interests, but the team was so welcoming, helpful, and kind that I became eager to get to know everyone as an Associate Intern.
What are one or two highlights from your time thus far?
One highlight of my time (which happens quite often) is the opportunity for me to sit in on external calls that introduce new funds into FWP’s landscapes. Not only is it exciting that I, a rising junior in college, am able to sit in on important business calls, but it is fascinating to hear what professionals think are the most promising sectors to focus on for the future of impact investing. Another highlight was being able to read and contribute to two final memos within my first month on the team. It is inspiring to see how much work and care is put into one finalized document and gratifying to know that I helped, even if marginally, to complete them.
What do you think the future for impact investing is?
I hope that impact investing will soon become synonymous with investing. As the public begins to demand sustainability, accountability, and transparency from companies and individuals while climate legislation begins to weave itself into our daily lives, I believe that impact investing or ethical investing will go from being desirable to being mandatory. Of course, it will take a while for that shift to actually occur, but while businesses are able to recognize that impending change, impact investing will become a more and more sought after specialty. In the short term, moving online has great benefits for impact investors because it enables them to connect more easily with emerging markets across the globe, cuts transportation costs and emissions, and allows businesses like FWP to do even more good.
Caroline Hallmark
Bio:
Caroline is a rising sophomore at Bowdoin College where she plans to study a combination of history, economics, and math. Previously, she was an intern at Revolution, a DC-based venture capital firm, where she gained an interest in how investors can allocate capital to generate a positive social impact. As an ardent foodie, she’s especially interested in the role impact investing can play in creating a more sustainable, equitable, healthy — and tasty — palate. After graduating, she hopes to continue exploring how investors can leverage the power of private markets to create positive social impact, as well as how “impact” can be measured and quantified.
What interested you about Flat World Partners?
I was primarily drawn to FWP because it delivers market-rate opportunities to its clients without sacrificing social impact, refuting the stigma that financial returns and impact are contradictory. Having prior experience at a VC firm, I was also interested in gaining exposure to a wider range of asset classes, as well as seeing how FWP distinguishes and evaluates mangers. Given how general the term “impact” is, learning how FWP defines and integrates ESG into its evaluation process has also been a valuable learning experience.
What are one or two highlights from your time thus far?
More than anything, I’m grateful for how supportive and informative the team has been over the course of my time at FWP. As a rising sophomore, I feel fortunate to have exposure to such a diverse array of asset classes and impact sectors, as well as meet fund managers from around the globe. Another highlight of my summer has been participating in due diligence for an online agricultural B2B marketplace. The experience not only gave me insight into the process of producing an investment memo, but also opened my eyes to the shocking amount of inefficiency that exists in the agricultural supply chain.
What do you think the future for impact investing is?
Earlier this summer, a FWP team member said to me that “impact investing” will soon just become “investing” — this, I think, speaks to the truly transformational nature of the movement. As investors demand greater accountability for their capital, it’s clear that impact investing isn’t simply a phase, but here to stay. As this sector grows, I think it’ll be particularly interesting to watch how impact measurements are quantified and standardized across the industry. Unlike financial performance, there’s no overarching framework with which to compare investments’ impact, making it difficult for investors to determine the most efficient way to allocate their capital. The key challenge for future impact investors, therefore, lies in developing a method to quantify, measure, and report the “social return” of their investments.
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