Global financial intelligence company S&P Global visited FIU Business this week to host a lunch-and-learn for students participating in BizLife Powered by S&P Global, offering early exposure to internships, entry-level roles and long-term career pathways.
Students grabbing a bite during the Lunch-And-Learn event
Earlier in the day, S&P Global Global Director for Community and Workplace Engagement Ryan McDay met with FIU Business Dean William Hardin to discuss strengthening collaboration and expanding opportunities for students. The campus visit culminated in an interactive session inside the BizLife living-learning community, where students gathered to hear directly from industry professionals.
Designed for first- and second-year business students, BizLife blends academic, residential and career programming to support students’ transition into college while building a foundation for professional success. Bringing corporate partners into the residential experience is intended to make career exploration more immediate, personal and accessible.
McDay said S&P Global views FIU as a strong source of emerging talent and is investing early to help students prepare for the workforce.
“FIU is a phenomenal institution. There’s a lot of great talent here on this campus,” McDay said. “We’ve decided to deepen our relationship with FIU … to ensure students are well prepared as they advance through their academic and professional careers.”
During the session, company representatives outlined S&P Global’s global footprint, data and analytics capabilities, and structured pathways into internships and full-time employment. Students asked questions about hiring expectations, training opportunities, hybrid work environments and the skills needed to succeed in finance, analytics, research and client-facing roles.
The discussion remained highly interactive, with students showing strong curiosity about how to position themselves for internships and early-career roles. Company leaders emphasized communication, curiosity and technical proficiency as key differentiators, encouraging freshmen and sophomores to begin building experience now so they are competitive applicants by junior year.
Students said the chance to engage with a major global employer so early in their college journey was both motivating and unexpected.
“It’s a very exciting opportunity,” said Elisa Mayorga, a finance major and BizLife ambassador. “We’re excited to learn more about them and use the resources and opportunities they’re here to give us.”
(L to R) Angela Bullard, Alejandro Izaguirre, William Hardin, Ryan McDay and John Nykolaiszyn
Marketing major Brenai Gillespie said meeting professionals from a company she had long recognized made the experience especially meaningful.
“You never think your freshman year you’re going to be meeting people from a giant company you’ve been hearing about all your life — and they’re here right in our building,” Gillespie said.
Upper-level student mentor Angelica Lemus, a finance major with a minor in business analytics, said the BizLife community strengthens both academic confidence and professional connections.
“When it’s a smaller space like this, it’s more personal to connect with companies and recruiters,” Lemus said, noting that relationships formed during students’ first years can shape future opportunities.
S&P Global representatives also highlighted paid summer internships, professional training resources and rotational early-career programs designed to prepare students for long-term growth within the organization.
The visit marks an expanding partnership between FIU Business and S&P Global, with additional mentorship, engagement sessions and career-readiness programming planned through BizLife.
By connecting students with global industry leaders from their first year on campus, FIU Business aims to create clearer, earlier pathways from the classroom to meaningful careers.