Name: Drew Borton
Hometown: Cream Ridge, NJ
Major: Finance and Accounting
Minor: Possibly Mathematics or Statistics
Year: Sophomore
Relationship Status: Single
What are three words that you would use to describe yourself?
Motivated, energetic, and kind
What activities do you do at RU?
I am the founder and chairman of an organization at Rutgers known as RU Valuating. The goal of the club is to teach students about the quantitative methods behind stock valuation, so I spend much of my time preparing for and giving presentations to students on different topics related to stock valuation. I’m also considering trying to add a subgroup of the organization dedicated to digging deeper into the intersection of mathematics, statistics, and finance. I’m really excited about that last part, since that’s basically what I do whenever I’m not on campus and am working instead. I am also a peer mentor for the Mathematics Department, assisting students in calculus by helping them during in-person recitations and by hosting online recitations. I have also worked fairly closely with a professor in said department.
Why do you do these activities? What do you like about it? What motivates you?
The main reason that I do much of what I do is my passion for teaching. I really enjoy helping people work through problems and come to an understanding of the material being presented. It makes me feel as if I am contributing to their lives in a positive way, which is always a good feeling. On top of this, I love finance, mathematics, and statistics, and I deeply enjoy talking to other people about these subjects. I am always eager to explore these subjects with my peers, and I have been fortunate enough to be able to pursue them at my current place of employment. I love what I do, so I don’t mind the commute to Jersey City. I’m enjoying it.
How do you relax and unwind?
I take a few minutes out of every day to just sit in silence and think. On my way to work, I actually pass a few benches by a dockyard, where you have a pretty great view of New York City. Sometimes, before I go into the office, I sit there for a few minutes to take it all in. If I don’t get a chance to do that, I just try to find a little bit of time to be alone and ponder. Doing that every day makes stress much more manageable. Daily maintenance is key for me.
What is your proudest moment?
I don’t really have a single moment that I can call my proudest. It’s more of a daily element of life to me. I’m proud of how I always try my best to set time aside to help people, despite the fact that my schedule isn’t always so kind to me. I do my best to make sure that I contribute to the lives of others in a positive way and on a daily basis. I’d say that I’m prouder of that than I am of any particular moment that I can recall easily.
What do you like to do for fun or in your free time?
Much of my free time is spent reading. Most of what I read is related to finance or statistics, since I really enjoy those particular topics. I use what I learn in order to build models, essentially, which takes up a sizable portion of the time that is left after the reading is done. Just listening to music or watching the occasional movie is always nice, too. I also really enjoy getting to see my dog, Lucy, when I have time to go home.
What is your dream job?
I still don’t really know the answer to that question. I imagine that it is either in equity research or high frequency trading though.
What do you want people to remember you by?
I would like to be remembered as that person who helped with homework or something else at 2:00AM when he had to get up three hours later to get ready for work.
What is your favorite TV show? Type of music?
I don’t watch much TV, but I’ve always been a fan of “Engineering an Empire,” despite the fact that it was discontinued long ago. I also enjoy classic rock.
What advice would you give to underclassmen?
Be a self-starter! If you find something that you really enjoy and think that it doesn’t receive enough attention on campus, don’t be afraid to push for change. You can always try to have preexisting organizations look at these topics more closely, or start your own! Both are great ways to meet new people with similar interests and do what you love. Also, use every opportunity that presents itself to become better connected with your professional field of interest.
What would you say to students looking to get involved on campus?
Take a look at the organizations that operate at the school, and create a preliminary list of the ones that seem interesting. From there, go to a few meetings and see what sticks. If you don’t think a pre-existing organization covers what you’re most interested in, start your own. I’m sure that you’d be able to find people with an interest in the same topic as you at a university as large as this one.
What is one thing that you’ve always wanted to do?
I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the cello.
What is your #1 goal this year?
Sleep more. It’s not going to happen, and I already know it.