The RF internship program is designed to immerse students in meaningful projects that deepen their understanding of business and finance and help them apply what they have learned in the classroom. Our interns gain real-world experience in a collaborative work environment, developing private equity skills and receiving mentorship from our entire team.
This summer, we welcomed Daniel Cortese, a rising junior at Davidson College, and Jayden Ramos, a rising junior at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business, as our 2025 Summer Interns. During their time at RF, they had the opportunity to work through detailed modeling exercises, sharpen their analytical and technical skills, and gain a deeper understanding of private equity and how deals come together.
We’re proud to offer a program led by seasoned mentors that blends meaningful exposure to private equity through hands-on research and analysis. We look forward to welcoming new interns to the program each summer!
See below for a highlight of Daniel and Jayden’s summer experience with the RF team!
In what ways has your experience with RF prepared you for your next steps professionally or academically?
“RF has provided me with an incredibly diverse experience, developing my technical skills and bridging the gap between classwork and the real world. After completing the internship, I feel much more prepared to solve problems independently, ask the right questions, and achieve results during my internship next summer. I’ve also learned how to navigate the city, balance professional and non-professional interests, and spend my time more wisely, all of which you really can’t learn in the classroom!” – Jayden
“Sitting in on management and banker calls at RF gave me a firsthand look into how deals come together and how the PE industry really works. This experience prepared me to be part of similar conversations in the future and has set me up for success for my banking internship next summer.” – Daniel
What was the most impactful moment during your time with RF, and why did it stand out?
“Working on my mini and full LBO tests was the most impactful. These projects pushed me to apply what I had learned over the course of the summer and gave me confidence in handling complex financial models.” – Daniel
“It was incredibly impactful to sit in on my first-ever Monday morning meeting, where the firm discusses the existing portfolio and new deals in the pipeline. By the end, I had written down a hundred questions, and I remembered the RF Associates being so willing to spend time discussing each one. I realized in that moment that I could learn what might have been 8 weeks of university material in 3 hours at RF.” – Jayden
What skills or knowledge did you gain during your RF internship that you find most valuable?
“Between attending investment committee meetings, sitting in on calls with investment bankers, and working on portfolio company add-on acquisitions, I’ve been able to grasp the major concepts in alternative investing in the healthcare and software spaces. After working on investment committee memos, performing independent case studies, and chatting with bankers, I now think about risk and return differently and have learned how to quickly get to the root of the problem when evaluating investments. By generating various investment models, I learned about the whole spectrum of securities on the capitalization table, which is a piece of knowledge I don’t think I could have received anywhere else! Overall, I can’t say enough about how great the learning environment at RF was.” – Jayden
“During my RF internship, I built strong Excel skills and learned new ways to think about different industries. I also developed a clear approach to doing research that will help me in both school and my career in private equity.” – Daniel
