Greetings from Aggieland

Hello all, 

I suppose some introductions are in order...my name is Megan Montgomery and I am a senior finance major at Texas A&M University (Whoop!). I am originally from Kingwood, TX, which is one of many glorious Houston area suburbs. Like Payal I am a Titan, which also led me to Britt (I must say that if wisdom had its own country, Britt would be president).

Anyways, now that school has resumed, I have started to miss the great people I met at TRS. Our intern group must have been one of the best, because everyone was wonderful. We had fun inside and outside of the office with our many socials and adventures. I must say that since my return to College Station, I find myself craving large quantities of meat. I can only blame the other interns for that, because we all became foodies this summer living in Austin. Of course I also miss our fearless leader Frank, my managers, mentors, and other friends at TRS.

Now that I have reconnected with my A&M friends, I can honestly say that I had the best internship experience out of anyone I know. Between the work, the people, and the opportunities, TRS was a great place to learn and grow. As for now, I am back for my final year in Aggieland taking my last few classes. It is a little difficult re-adjusting to college life after working all summer. I am just trying to enjoy my last year as a student before I become a big girl and join the working world. If any former students or non-Aggies are willing to step on to maroon soil between now and May, feel free to come visit me. My email is mnm.montgomery@gmail.com.

Goodbye for now, 

Megan

A New TRS Tradition

Howdy!
The purpose of this blog is to help fellow TRS interns meet and stay connected.  Our Fearless Leader Frank suggested it this summer.  I thought it was a good idea...so let's run with it!!

So, y'all are probably wondering who the heck is Payal.   I guess an intro is necessary...I'm a Texan turned Londoner.  I grew up in Amarillo and studied at Texas A&M (whoop!) where I met Britt.  I was in Titans I (oh my, that makes me feel like an old woman to say that) though this organization didn't exist.  We simply referred to ourselves as the junto.   After graduating, I worked for restructuring firm Alvarez & Marsal and was based in Houston.   At that A&M, I advised companies, public sector organizations, and non-profits on a variety of strategic and operational issues.  I traveled quite a bit and worked with clients in a variety of industries (some were sexy, others were not).  I took alot of great stories, experiences, and friendships away from that job.  I had always wanted to live abroad and go to grad school, so I took a leap in summer 2010, moved to London, and joined the MBA programme at London Business School.   This past summer 2011, I spent part of the summer at TRS in Austin and part back in London working with another organization.

My time at TRS was grand.  I may be a bit biased, but my intern cohort had to be the best group so far :).  We worked hard and had alot of fun outside of work (Peter Pan golf, 4 W's, Harry Potter in 3D, driving range, wine-o-clock, etc.).  As always, we did book reports.  My book was "The Origins of Wealth" by Eric Beinhocker.  Ironically, he works in the McKinsey London office, so I asked one of my classmates to go hunt him down for me and beg that he give me 10 minutes.  I had a telephone conversation with him over the summer, which was very helpful.  And I'm set to have coffee with him in the fall when things settle down for him a bit.

We also took a trip to visit some of our external managers in Dallas.  My favorite memory from the summer was on that fateful van ride back.  I was sitting next to Ryan and Megan and ended up falling asleep like I always do in cars.  When I woke up, I asked where we were and said something else.  Then, I checked the time on my iPhone and found a HILARIOUS photo of me sleeping as the background.   Megan, Ryan, and I laughed so much for the next 5-10 minutes.  I have to say it was a great practical joke!  5 points to Megan and Ryan for that.

And finally, like others before us, we had a gourmet dinner to cook as our final exam.  Everyone seemed please with our "southern comfort" meal, and we didn't burn the house down.  So I guess we passed!  Here's a photo of all of us from that evening.

I had writer's block coming up with a title for this blog post.   My intern group had a fantastic summer full of TRS traditions.   I humbly offer this blog as a new tradition.  Definitely keep the group posted on how things are going for you!!

If anyone ever is passing through London, wants advice from an ex-consultant, needs travel tips, or anything really, please don't hesitate to contact me.  My email address is ppatel.mba2012@london.edu.

Cheers,
Payal