Samuel Saldarriaga

Samuel Saldarriaga is a third-year finance major from Columbus, Ohio. His parents immigrated to the United States from Colombia before he was born and started their own business, which sparked his passion for business as he watched his parents grow their own. During his college search, he fell in love with Fisher College of Business. He decided on a finance specialization because of the broad array of opportunities available to him and ultimately landed on a future career path of investment management.

As a first-generation college student, Samuel began his journey at Ohio State with Fisher FIRST, a program that provides a head start to first-generation students admitted to Fisher. He set out to find his place during his freshman year by joining the Fisher Real Estate Society, Business Builders Club, and the Investment Banking Program, all of which taught him about the respective industries. During his sophomore year, he joined Buckeye Capital Investors, where he served as vice president of the group’s Technology Sector, Fisher Futures, and the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), in which he served as special events chair. At the start of this year, he became a member of the 25th Honors Cohort Program. 

Professionally, Samuel interned with Wellington Management in Boston, Massachusetts, following his sophomore year, where he conducted investment analysis on a commodities fund. He plans to continue working in the investment management industry this summer. Outside of school and work, Samuel loves to travel. He frequently visits different national parks to hike with his brother. You can also find him exploring new places in Columbus with friends. 

Samuel received a Pace Setters Award this semester, Fisher’s highest honor, for his impressive academic accomplishments and demonstrated leadership ability. He hopes to make a continued impact during his remaining years at Fisher by mentoring underclass students to help them find their own community within the college. His advice for rising Fisher leaders is to resist the urge to compare yourself to others and focus on creating strong connections during your time here.