Helping people “build the life they dream of” through finance
Internship led to a fulfilling job before graduation for Grace Stolberg ’24
- Major: Finance
- Minors: Accounting, Financial Planning, and Economics
Grace Stolberg, posing by the logo for her employer — O’Keefe Stevens Advisory, Inc. — says she loves her career in financial planning.
Your path at Naz?
I started as a biomedical sciences major, thinking I would work in health care. I shadowed doctors and realized that wasn’t the way I wanted to help people.
What drew you to finance?
I grew up watching my dad work in the finance industry. He taught accounting for years at Alfred State College, but started his own financial planning practice when I was young. Getting to see how he enjoyed his career and his time with clients, I always knew he was so fulfilled by his job. I’ve talked to his clients and they’ve been so grateful to have my dad in their life, looking out for them.
I met with professors in business and accounting before changing my major to finance — and it’s been the best decision. I dove in, got close with professors, and tutored other students for multiple classes. I was always eager to learn.
What do you love about working in finance now?
Seeing people do things they never thought they could do! You develop strong relationships and really teach clients what they need to do to build the life they dream of. It could be figuring out a budget for spending and saving, or a strategy for financial planning. It’s not something most people know how to do.
Some of our meetings with clients almost feel more like a therapy session, guiding them through big changes in their lives. We put our knowledge to use, making a super thoughtful and comprehensive plan for our clients. It’s really rewarding to know you had that impact on someone’s life.
How did you get connected with the internship that led to your job?
I met Naz alum Justin Stevens ’09, CFP, as a sophomore when he was a guest speaker in one of my classes, talking about his career as a financial advisor. It was obvious he was knowledgeable and passionate about what he does. We connected on LinkedIn. A year later, he congratulated me for an internship I got and invited me to learn about what his firm does. I was really drawn to the way they did financial planning and investment management, and the team was awesome, and that turned into my next internship, in September of my senior year.
Grace Stolberg in the atrium of the Bausch & Lomb building in downtown Rochester, New York, which is home to O’Keefe Stevens Advisory, Inc — where she interned and was hired.
What were your internship experiences?
- I did one with my dad, which was awesome. He taught me a lot then — and continues to teach me things every day when I talk to him about my job.
- Next was a summer internship at a Pittsford, New York, wealth management company.
- Senior year I started at O’Keefe Stevens Advisory, Inc., where Justin Stevens is president, as a paid intern.
I gained a lot of knowledge. My classes at Nazareth taught me a lot about financial planning, and I definitely felt prepared — but when you are actually in the role, in meetings with clients, it’s a whole different way of learning. Real-world learning is so powerful.
You took Nazareth’s internship course, too?
The course encouraged building relationships, seeking feedback proactively, and taking initiative. Those are without a doubt going to lead to success. For example, course assignments included scheduling time with your manager to discuss your performance.
When did you get hired?
In my final semester of college, O'Keefe Stevens was rapidly growing, and I was offered a full-time position as a financial advisor. It’s awesome to have a full-time job before you even graduate. I planned to move to Florida, which was fine since most clients are remote. You can do this job literally anywhere with a laptop and an internet connection.
It sounds like a smooth path. Were there challenges to overcome?
Yes — the contrast of being a financial advisor working with people who are my parents’ age, if not my grandparents’ age, while being a 21-year-old senior in college. It’s really forced me to grow in my career confidence. Justin started his career before he graduated from Nazareth. He told me, “You have the knowledge base, you have this education and the team behind you at O’Keefe Stevens. People will see you’ve put in the work, and they’re going to trust you.” I knew I had the foundation to be able to succeed in this role.
Stolberg poses at her home office in Florida.
What do you like about your work? What impact do you hope to make?
I literally love everything about the job, the freedom it gives you, the problem-solving and complexities of different situations, the intergenerational relationships you build. You get to choose the people you work with. All of our clients are hard-working, great people. They’re always excited to talk to us. We get to know them and their families. It’s a pretty great thing to do every day at your job.
The impact I really hope to have — and I know Justin and (Chief Investment Officer and Co-Founder) Peter O’Keefe, CFP, have had on our clients — is the education. Taking time to talk with your clients and educate them about what we’re really doing — why save in this account vs. that account.
I’m always talking to my friends: Save this much towards retirement. Pay off your credit card balance in full. It’s an awesome thing to help people become financially free and do the things they want to do.
Any advice for students?
Go out of your comfort zone and seek different connections and relationships. You’re not going to stumble across the life of your dreams just by going to class. Make relationships with professors. Join the clubs; I was involved with the student Golden Flyer Investment Club. Go out of your way to do more. You have to go look for the job and look for the right people and make friendships and relationships.
A win-win experience
Stolberg and Stevens at O’Keefe Stevens
“I did three internships as a student myself — with different types of firms, which helped me find my first job out of school and really gave me the insight as to the right place for me to start in terms of size and culture,” says Justin Stevens ’09, who hired Grace Stolberg.
“Her communication skills were truly outstanding,” says Stevens, adding that he appreciated her approach of being curious, eager to learn, and willing to take on responsibility. The structure of a Naz internship encouraged 360-degree feedback, asking for responsibility, and clear communication about what’s to be learned and accomplished, he says. “That’s something Nazareth is cultivating, that’s unique to Nazareth.” Without that, “It might be a little daunting to walk into your boss’ office and ask about expectations and ask for more responsibility.”
O’Keefe Stevens Advisory, Inc. made the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately owned companies in the United States, for its 89% three-year growth. “Grace was a huge part of that, in terms of our growth,” Stevens says. Her location in Florida is helping the company expand into that area.
Stevens, who serves on Nazareth’s board of trustees, encourages other alumni to host interns and create valuable experiences for Naz students: “One of the best ways to give back is through time. You create a better student outcome, which ultimately translates to students getting jobs.”