COB student gets a view from the top

New York City’s largest office building houses S&P Global’s headquarters. It boasts 3.5-million square feet and 59 elevators. But for finance major Jonah Musial, the nearly 700-foot skyscraper at 55 Water St. has more significance than a few fun facts — it introduced the College of Business senior to working in lower Manhattan’s Financial District.

The Farmington resident was one of 70-plus summer interns in S&P Global’s New York City office. S&P Global, the company behind the S&P 500, is a financial information and analytics firm. Musial worked as a ratings analyst intern on the capital goods team.

“I’ve found calculating risk exciting for as long as I can remember. I played poker with my friends starting in middle school using penny rolls. I fell in love with trying to understand game theory and the principles that drive a winning player. I discussed federal fund rates and the S&P index with a friend in the middle of a high school get together while everyone else was listening to music. I invest in bitcoin,” he says. “But I didn’t know that I’d one day take a risk like moving to New York and being an active part in a corporation that plays such a major role in our economy. I’m so glad that I did."

For three months, Musial traveled from his Brooklyn Heights apartment to the office — only a seven-minute subway ride away, thanks to his mom’s housing research — and had the opportunity to experience life near Wall Street. He met C-suite executives from internationally known companies; he made friends who attended universities around the nation, and he researched behind-the-scenes factors impacting whether or not capital goods companies had the likelihood to meet their debt obligations in the foreseeable future. Musial can’t give details on that research, but it will be published in 2026 to help market investors better understand the capital goods space. He also attended credit rating meetings between S&P Global management and Fortune 500 issuers to see how the ratings process worked. S&P Global grades the creditworthiness of companies so investors know how likely companies are to meet financial obligations in full and on time.

When Musial wasn’t working, saw the Broadway show “MJ the Musical," ate sushi at Nobu and discovered his favorite pizza place, Lucia Pizza of SoHo. “I found it because of a TikTok video. If you ever go there, try the Caramelle Piccanti slice drizzled with hot honey,” he says.

Musial says his S&P Global internship and summer in the Big Apple was an experience of a lifetime. He credits UM-Dearborn Finance Lecturer Nick Vlisides for helping him get there. Vlisides — who has industry connections from nearly 30 years working in corporate finance — encouraged Musial to take part in a trip last fall to New York City. Every year, Vlisides takes College of Business students to meet financial industry leaders and tour offices in the Financial District.

“He gave us exposure to what’s out there and available to us. I always wanted to push myself to work for a major company in a big city, but I was concerned with the moral dilemmas that might come with it. Before I went on the trip, I expected to see ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’-type atmosphere,” Musial says. “I’m glad to see that my preconceived notions were wrong. When we got to S&P Global’s office, we went on a tour and met some of the analysts and directors. They were open to answering questions and very friendly. I felt at home there. To be a voice that people respect in the market is an attractive thing. To be a part of a team where you feel like a good fit and can believe in the work you do is a great thing too. I knew that’s where I wanted to work.” Musial says S&P Global staff promoted their internship to students during the visit and business cards were exchanged.

Musial believes persistence and preparation set him apart from the other candidates. The process took six months from internship application to job offer. Musial used the business card information to keep in contact with the S&P Global employees he met. He asked COB faculty members — in particular, Accounting Lecturer Susan Baker — to help him prepare for potential interviews. He emailed the S&P Global hiring manager on a regular basis for updates. “I was very persistent in reaching out to full-time analysts and the early careers recruiter, reminding them all of how serious I was about being considered for the opportunity. After many emails, the recruiter took a chance on me and I advanced through multiple interviews — ultimately leading to an offer,” he says.

Musial has advice for other students seeking out big opportunities: “Go after them with everything you have.” He also says opportunities aren’t always a plane ride away — many are right at UM-Dearborn. Musial recently worked with Associate Professor of Accounting Lee Redding on a Summer Research Undergraduate Experience project that analyzed company-based bitcoin accumulation strategies. He’s also expanded his networks through student organizations like the Financial Management Association and Beta Sigma Gamma business honor society. “If you have a competitive mindset and take advantage of what’s around you, the sky is the limit,” he says.

And Musial has a good idea on how limitless that is — after all he spent much of his summer enjoying the panoramic views from a New York City skyscraper.

Make sure to keep reading Reporter for upcoming internship stories from the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters, the College of Education, Health and Human Services, and the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury