While many finance internships promise exposure and growth, few programs actually include interns in the projects that can deliver true personal development. The Xtellus’ 2025 intern class shared three reasons why their experience this summer was different.
1. From Capital Markets to Commodities
Unlike traditional summer programs, where interns are assigned to just one department, Xtellus’ unique structure provides a breadth of experience to its summer intern class. With six business groups under the Xtellus Partners umbrella, interns participate in team meetings spanning venture capital, asset management, private credit, capital markets, and commodities. They collaborate on diverse project pipelines, and gain insight into how the businesses interconnect in practice.
“What I liked most about my experience at Xtellus was the variety of different projects and areas of the business I was able to work on,” shared Alyssa, a rising junior. “I wanted to gain exposure to different areas of finance and was lucky to be able to work across all these divisions.”
2. A Culture of Mentorship and Growth
Senior leaders across the firm invest personally in intern development, creating an environment that prioritizes coaching, and our interns were outspoken about how much this mattered.
“I’ve had amazing mentors throughout the summer,” explained Doug, who focused on XTS Commodities’ oil trading operations. “The senior leaders were very welcoming, patient, and willing to help me learn.”
Jack agreed. “I have experience at other investment management firms. What struck me most about Xtellus was that it doesn’t matter how senior or busy the team is, people here always make time to invest in your growth.”
Leonid Kouperschmidt, Principal at Xtellus Partners and head of the internship program, explained:
“The best internship programs are mutual investments. At Xtellus, we look for interns who bring fresh perspectives and genuine curiosity to our work. In return, we provide the mentorship, exposure, and intellectually demanding work that help shape the next generation of finance professionals.”
3. Real Projects, Real Impact
Xtellus interns don’t observe from the sidelines. They contribute to actual client engagements and business-critical projects. Doug participated directly in sales team interactions with potential clients, while Jack worked alongside Xtellus partners to help management teams of small public companies navigate capital markets opportunities.
“In a small-team setting like this, you get exposure you can’t find anywhere else,” Jack noted. “If you take the internship by the reins and own your projects, you can make a real impact.”
Building Lasting Professional Relationships
As Doug put it, these are more than mere connections, but rather colleagues he’s “looking forward to keeping in touch with for a very long time.”
His advice to future interns summarizes the program well, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions about projects. It shows your interest and passion for the work, and the team is always willing to help.”
Finally, when asked to describe the program in three words, Xtellus interns chose: dynamic, engaging, and collaborative. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Interested in joining Xtellus’ summer internship program? Visit our careers page to learn more about the program, and stay tuned for summer 2026 opportunities.