One day PE recruiters may start giving presentations in maternity wards.
Maybe not. But the trend to get in front of promising candidates earlier and earlier shows no sign of easing, as college internship programs at PE firms Charlesbank Capital Partners, Nautic Partners and Stone Point Capital and funds-of-funds manager Twin Bridge Capital Partners become a fruitful pipeline for filling their junior analyst ranks.
By hiring former interns directly out of college these firms not only get to hire people they know and like. They also get a head start on rival PE shops that follow the more traditional path of hiring associates out of investment banks.
Recruiting college graduates as analysts is not a new strategy. Private Equity Career News ran a story in 2023 about firms hiring and training analysts directly out of college. But our analysis finds that firms are also using summer internships as a way to get to know their analysts earlier.
Analysts returning to their summer internship firms have recently earned degrees from such schools as Cornell University, Duke University, Emory University, Indiana University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, Texas McCombs School of Business, the University of Chicago, the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.
The Programs: Undergraduate summer analyst and internship investment programs typically last about eight to 10 weeks for rising seniors and juniors. Similar programs may run during other seasons and be open to MBA students. PE firms can approach students as early as their sophomore years to line them up for summer internships 18 months later when they are rising seniors.
Charlesbank Capital Partners: At least four of about seven analysts joining the Boston and New York City-based buyout firm’s investment team this year had been summer analysts there as undergraduates in 2025, while the others took part in summer programs at different firms. Those welcomed back include Samay Gandhi, Reese Moorman, Drew Riley and Angelica Veronis. The firm’s investment team also includes about four analysts hired in 2025, two of whom were summer analysts there. And at least three of the investment team’s approximately 24 associates are former summer analysts or interns who returned as analysts.
Nautic Partners: The Providence, Rhode Island-based middle-market buyout firm recently hired Natalia Buchajska, a former private equity intern there, as a private equity analyst. Meanwhile one of the investment team’s two other analysts and at least one of its 11 associates have had prior internships there.
Stone Point Capital: Five of the approximately six analysts who joined the Greenwich, Connecticut-based financial services investor’s private equity team this summer have returned after serving as summer analysts last year. They are Jake Leary, William René, Avery Salin, Athena Yeung and Sophie Zmoira. The firm’s private equity team also includes at least five other analysts, all of whom were previous summer analysts there. Meanwhile, at least six associates/senior associates on Stone Point Capital’s private equity team started out with the firm as summer analysts or interns.
Twin Bridge Capital Partners: The Chicago-based fund-of-funds manager recently hired Kayla Bandukwala, a former summer analyst, as an analyst for the investment team. Of the investment team’s three associates, one had started at the firm as an intern before graduating and joining as an analyst.
Future Prospects: Here is sampling of some upcoming summer analyst or internship opportunities at several firms:
**** Apollo Global Management seeks a 2027 summer analyst to work on alternatives marketing and fundraising with the client and product solutions team. The 10-week program may be based in New York City or Austin, Texas.
**** Bessemer Venture Partners seeks a 2027 summer analyst for a 10-week program in New York City for venture capital.
**** Blackstone seeks a 2027 summer analyst for its private equity strategies fund. The 10-week program is based in New York City.
**** GCM Grosvenor seeks a 2027 private equity summer intern for a 10-week program in New York City to work on private equity secondaries.
**** The Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri seeks a private markets investment intern for Summer 2027 in St. Louis. Applications are due before September 8.
**** StepStone Group seeks candidates for a 2027 private equity summer analyst role in La Jolla, California. The firm also is recruiting for a private debt summer analyst role in New York City and a venture capital summer analyst role in Baltimore.
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