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When Jake Schneider (Fin’25) arrived at the Leeds School of Business, he wasn’t quite sure where he was headed. But four years later, he leaves behind a legacy of leadership, resilience and mentorship—along with a clear vision for his future.

Schneider’s early life was shaped by constant change. His father worked for the government, so his family moved all over the country: St. Louis, Missouri; Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colorado; and Bedford, New Hampshire. He decided to come to CU for three reasons: the in-state tuition, the prestige of Leeds, and his love for the outdoors—a love proven by 40 ski days this past winter alone.

"I’m someone who loves the outdoors, whether it be skiing, paddleboarding, hiking, or whatever,” he said. “CU was the perfect spot.”

Finding his fit

While he considered going into finance in high school, Schneider wanted to try out a few things first to gauge his true interests. He explored sports marketing, real estate and consulting before circling back to finance—a decision cemented by an eye-opening class at Leeds.

“I cast a wide net at first, coming into college,” he said. “It wasn’t until my finance module class at Leeds that I realized finance was what I wanted to do.”

That spark turned into a calling, as he threw himself into academic rigor and extracurricular leadership. Schneider performed well in the finance module class, discovering that he not only enjoyed the problem solving and analytical nature of the work, but also that finance came naturally to him.��

He wanted to share his passion for finance with his peers at Leeds. He has made a lasting impact on other students through his leadership with the Leeds Investment and Trading Group, and the .

Investing in students

Schneider has found his most rewarding time at Leeds has come from giving back to other students. He was heavily involved in revamping the education program for the Leeds Investment and Trading Group, and he also served as the co-president of the Leeds Investment Banking Club. As co-president, he prepared weekly meeting materials and led discussions explaining professional and financial concepts to younger students.

“I feel like a lot of people helped me throughout my time here,” he said. “It felt like my turn to give back, and I was in the position to do so.”

His efforts go beyond academic support and community building: the Leeds Investment Banking Club has been instrumental in helping students carve out their career paths. This year alone, 10 students in the club have received investment banking internships or full-time offers. Schneider is one of them. After graduation, he’s heading to New York City to start a role as an investment banking analyst at Bank of America.

Hard work, real results

Schneider’s success at Leeds hasn’t come without its hurdles. Early on, he lacked confidence and struggled with imposter syndrome, feeling out of his depth among peers that he viewed as more academically gifted.

But true to the adage, hard work has paid off. Schneider committed himself to his academics, studying as much as possible for exams and striving to get his foot in the door for every finance opportunity he could.

“We all have a lot to learn,” he said. “If you get knocked down a peg, it’s just an opportunity to learn more and get back up to better than where you were before.”

“We all have a lot to learn. If you get knocked down a peg, it’s just an opportunity to learn more and get back up to better than where you were before.”

Jake Schneider (Fin’25)

Besides proving to himself that he could excel academically, Schneider’s experiences at Leeds have given him the added benefits of learning how to persevere and how to handle job rejections. The full-time offer at Bank of America represents the culmination of his determination and drive.

“If I were to look back at myself at the end of high school, I would have never seen myself in this position,” he said. “Now, it's an incredible feeling to realize I've actually done a lot with my time at CU and haven't wasted it.”

New beginnings and lasting connections

Schneider says his biggest takeaways have come from challenging moments. In the process of pursuing his passions, he discovered how to be intentional in his goals. Overcoming imposter syndrome meant choosing a finance path and then orienting his life to fit his goal of getting an investment banking offer.

As he embarks on his next steps, Schneider knows that the connections he has made at CU will stay with him for the rest of his life.

“I’m really going to miss the feeling I get when I walk through Leeds saying ‘hi’ to everybody. It’s such a unique community here,” he said. “I’ve built this amazing friend group, and while I’m really going to miss them, I know we’ll stay in touch.”

Looking ahead, he wants to build his investment banking career before returning to Colorado in the future. His primary focus right now, however, is savoring every remaining day in 911������ before he departs for New York.

And that’s well deserved. His contributions to Leeds and CU have certainly earned him a full day of paddleboarding or hiking in the bright Colorado sun.