The Duke Financial Economics Center (DFE) has announced the recipients of its 2024-2025 Leadership Award: seniors Caelyn DeSouza, Fernando Haddad, and Claire Rubenstein, who will all graduate in May. Since 2011, the award has been bestowed annually to seniors who have made outstanding contributions to the Duke undergraduate finance community.
DeSouza, Haddad, and Rubenstein were selected for their wide-ranging involvement in finance and business activities and the wholeheartedness with which they approached them.
“Caelyn, Claire, and Fernando bring their unique leadership qualities to everything they do. What they have in common is that they go all in and constantly encourage others, whether in class, on a committee, or as part of a student club,” said DFE Executive Director John Caccavale.
“They have each paved their own path through Duke by putting hard work into what really interests them,” said DFE Teaching Director Emma Rasiel. “We are excited to see where their passion takes them in the wider world and, of course, hope they stay connected to DFE.”
“I think diligence is really important. Everyone at Duke is so naturally talented but obstacles come up, and there are so many things that can pull your attention in many different directions. But you persevere and just keep trying.”
DeSouza’s first exposure to DFE was through the Duke in London Finance program, which she calls her most memorable finance-related Duke experience. As a rising sophomore at the time, she appreciated being in the program with rising juniors who had been through the finance internship recruiting process.
“It was amazing to be with that mix of students and have Emma and John as my first finance professors,” DeSouza said. “Duke in London gave me an awesome group of friends who really supported me on my econ journey.”
The following fall, she participated in DFE’s sophomore finance competitions. Her team in the Goldman Sachs Trade Pitch Competition was among the 10 teams that presented to investment professionals. Their pitch, which involved an in-depth analysis of major players in the diabetes care market, was judged to be the most thought provoking.
Outside of DFE, DeSouza has been an active leader in student organizations. As vice president of finance for Business Oriented Women (BOW), philanthropy chair for Scale and Coin Business Society, and digital strategy director for Duke Sports Business Conference, she has organized numerous educational, charitable, networking, and mentoring opportunities for her peers.
“Caelyn has provided endless guidance and support for younger students as they navigate the intense recruiting processes for finance and consulting,” Rasiel said. “She also helped manage a number of DFE extracurricular activities, including taking a leading role in DFE’s first private equity recruiting preparation program for seniors, offered this spring.”
The Atlanta native looks forward to returning to her hometown after graduation and beginning her career in consulting at McKinsey & Company. She will miss the “amazing friends and mentors” that have made Duke her home the last four years.
DeSouza’s advice for students interested in finance: “Network with a lot of people and figure out what you’re truly interested in. There are so many different niche roles in finance and consulting. Talk to as many people as possible and get a deep understanding of the different roles so you can find the best fit for you.”
The non-finance Duke achievement she is most proud of: “I was front row for the Duke-UNC game this year. I tented the full two-and-a-half weeks, memorized all the information for the test, and went to all the spirit competitions. We were tent number 5. I'm definitely very proud of that!”
“Every day, I’m inspired by the wealth of opportunities available at Duke, from the world-class infrastructure to the brilliant peers and truly exceptional professors who make this experience so special. In a field as dynamic and interdisciplinary as global financial markets, having a liberal arts education, learning to think critically, and approaching every experience with a mindset of curiosity have served me really well.”
Haddad’s passion for the financial markets was ignited at age 15, when he joined the investment club at his São Paulo high school. He brought his burgeoning dream of working in finance to Duke, taking full advantage of DFE faculty-taught courses to explore diverse facets of the industry.
“Classes like Practical Financial Markets, Real Estate Investing, Inside Hedge Funds, Private Equity, and Emerging Markets taught me more than I expected to learn in four years at Duke,” he said.
In the spring of his sophomore year, Haddad participated in Duke in New York Financial Markets & Institutions, a DFE study away program that immerses students in finance coursework, interaction with alumni, and firm visits. He served as the student ambassador, a role for which he was perfectly suited, according to Caccavale.
“Fernando is the epitome of leadership. On the Duke in New York program, I saw how his enthusiasm and selflessness are an example to everyone. People like Fernando are special,” he said.
Haddad speaks highly of Caccavale and his experience on the program: “From putting me on the spot at 8 a.m. about where the Japanese 10-year treasury was trading, to teaching me the importance of thinking critically, being punctual, well-prepared, and confident in expressing my views on global markets, with ‘no hedging,’ as he likes to say, John’s mentorship had a profound impact on me. I’m proud of all the lessons we learned together as a group during the program, and I’m proud to have helped coordinate the visits and welcome all the visiting lecturers into the classroom.”
Inspired by Caccavale and his other faculty mentors, including Rasiel and DFE Instructor Steve Columbaro, Haddad has dedicated himself to supporting his peers as an upperclassman. He has contributed through mentoring programs and as a TA for the large sophomore course FMKT 256 Practical Financial Markets.
Haddad’s Duke pursuits have not been limited to finance. He has also participated in Greek life, social entrepreneurship, volunteer work, faith-based organizations, and sports.
After graduation, Haddad will join the global industrials group in Deutsche Bank’s investment banking division.
Qualities that have served Haddad well on his path through Duke: “Intellectual honesty, acknowledging when you don’t know something; asking questions and being proactive; as well as discipline and dedication.”
Haddad’s advice for students interested in finance: “Embrace not knowing. Some of the most valuable learning experiences begin with the courage to admit you don’t have all the answers. Curiosity, humility, and a willingness to ask questions are often more powerful than certainty.”
“I’d say showing up is the biggest thing I would attribute my success at Duke to. The people at Duke are incredible. It was fun to show up to [finance-related] events and spend time with different people than I did in my day to day. A lot of the mentorship I've had and have given happened in the extra time I spent showing up to events and trying to contribute in any way I could.”
Rubenstein says she “didn’t necessarily come into Duke as a finance person,” being more oriented toward engineering. However, her involvement in business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi (DSP) as a first-year student put her on a trajectory of robust finance exploration and leadership.
“Talking to mentors through DSP, I found that finance could really fit with what I am looking for in a career. In finance, you're always learning, challenging yourself to get more information and a more holistic view,” she said.
Throughout the last four years, Rubenstein has been active in DSP, from teaching in the new member education process to serving as VP of professional development. Moreover, she has been highly committed to Duke Investment Club, in which she started as an analyst sophomore year and rose to CEO as a senior.
Rubenstein first encountered DFE when she was accepted into the Dzialga Women in Finance Initiative as a rising sophomore. DFE’s Dzialga Fellows engage in finance-focused activities as a supportive cohort through senior year.
Dzialga Initiative Director Linsey Hughes, a valued mentor and professor of Rubenstein’s, commented, “Claire is extraordinary. I’ve seen her development over the last four years, and I am impressed by who she has become. Not only is she a valuable contributor to our classrooms, but she has also become an incredible mentor to underclassmen both academically and professionally.”
Giving back has been a major theme of Rubenstein’s upperclassman years. As a member of the DFE Student Advisory Committee, she has helped build and enhance programs that prepare students for the rigors of finance recruiting. This academic year, working alongside DeSouza, she organized a finance competition series with alumni at alternative asset manager Blackstone and investment banking firm Centerview Partners.
“Claire is very creative and full of ideas,” said Hughes. “She’s always forthcoming with suggestions around how to make our programming more impactful and provides productive feedback towards what students want."
Rubenstein is headed into a private equity analyst position at Blackstone after graduation.
Rubenstein’s advice for students interested in finance: “The biggest fear you hear from students interested in finance is ‘I’m so behind.’ I also felt that way at one point, but there's no part of finance that's inaccessible to you from Duke, and you should go after what you're really interested in. Read about it. Do a stock pitch. Go to Emma and John’s office hours. There's so many people and resources at Duke to help you.”
The non-finance Duke achievement she is most proud of: “I'm glad that as much as I've done for finance, I've also found ways to enjoy my time outside of it. IM sports is a great example. It was never about winning, just getting outside and doing something that brings people together in a different way.”
