Vera Teixeira Wahnon

Experience

Tell us what your greatest academic, professional or personal awards/achievements have been.

My greatest achievement was being accepted in an internship at one of the biggest companies in the energy sector in Portugal. This internship enabled me to grow substantially in personal terms as I became more organised, responsible, confident and able to manage my time more efficiently, which I believe are qualities that will highly benefit my future career.

Why did you decide to study your Summer School course and why specifically did you choose to study with Imperial College Business School?

I decided to study the Principles of Finance programme as I will start my Master’s in Finance in September and, therefore, would like to have some background knowledge on a few important financial concepts. I chose Imperial College Business School due to its reputation and prestigious education, as well as for the summer school programme itself, which was exactly what I was looking for.

Programme

What makes your Summer School unique?

In my opinion, what made my Summer School unique was everything that Imperial College Business School provided, in terms of both education and social activities; and also, the people I met during the three weeks I spent in London.

What aspects of the course did you most enjoy?

I really enjoyed the fact that we had to answer some questions on the materials taught in class, and also, I believe that the two breaks we had during the morning lecture were an excellent idea, as it helped me stay focused throughout the whole class time. In addition, I am very satisfied with all the topics covered in the programme.

What was the most challenging part of the course?

The most challenging part of the programme were the last three lectures as the concepts learnt were more complex and not so easily understandable in the beginning.

People

Imperial places a large emphasis on group work, what inspires you the most about working in this type of environment?

What I enjoyed the most in group work was the sharing of ideas and the way people push themselves and others in the group to work at their best performance, in order for the whole team to achieve a certain common goal.

How would you describe your Summer School class?

My Summer School class was slightly divided into groups, especially noticeable between the British and foreigners; however, I believe I had the chance to meet most of the students.

What parts of the social programme did you most enjoy?

Within the social programme, the Boat Party was definitely my favourite social event as I had never been to a boat party before, and managed to have a really nice time with my friends and also made new friends. Also, I really enjoyed the tours to London City and Canary Wharf as they allowed me to know more about the history of the two places.

Opportunities

What has been the greatest opportunity during your summer at Imperial that you don’t think you would get anywhere else?

The greatest and most unique opportunity during my summer at Imperial was definitely the course as I found it to be extremely useful and after looking into other universities, I concluded that the Principles of Finance programme would be the most complete and there was no other summer school programme like the one at Imperial.

What are your future career goals and how do you think your time at Imperial will help/has helped?

After completing my Masters in Finance at Nova School of Business of Economics in Lisbon, my goal is to go to London and work in an investment bank or Fintech start-up. I believe Imperial will help me in my future career, not only through its name and reputation, but also the knowledge of crucial financial concepts it provided me with, which will be useful for my career in Finance. Additionally, I had the opportunity to get to know London, the city I want to live in upon the completion of my academic studies.

Location

Whereabouts did you stay in London and why did you choose to stay there?

During my time in London, I stayed in a house situated in Newington Green as I knew one of the girls living there. Also, the price charged was cheaper compared to the accommodation provided by Imperial, which at the time was only the Woodward Hall residence, even though it was further away for the South Kensington campus.

What can a weekend in London look like for a Summer School student?

A weekend in London for a Summer School student consists in exploring the city, having a picnic at Hyde Park, going to Chinatown for dinner and having fun with the other students.

In your opinion, tell us about the most exciting thing you’ve done in London.

The most exciting thing I did in London was a picnic at Hyde Park with a large group of people I had not met before, apart from other students from Imperial. We brought food, drinks and music. I had a very good time and met a lot of new people.

Tips

What advice would you give someone who was thinking about applying for the Summer School?

I strongly recommend the Summer School at Imperial College Business School to anyone thinking about applying. It is a fantastic experience, in which we got to meet a lot of people, visit new places and learn a subject that interests you from an amazing institution. I also advise those who want to apply to do it as soon as applications are opened, so that they guarantee a cheap and not so far way accommodation.

Share with us a handy hint or trick that made settling into Summer School that much easier!

I believe the sympathy and availability of the staff and teachers were crucial for our settlement into the Summer School, as well as the first social events where we made our first friends.