IVCA Feature: Profiles of the 2026 IVCA Scholars Participants, Part Two
All through the summer of 2026 the IVCA Scholar Program has been up and running with a dozen participants in a diverse and multi-college/university force. The IVCA reached out to the Scholars, to get an idea of their experiences, interactions with firm sponsors and possible future within the Venture Capital/Private Equity industries.
The 2026 IVCA Scholar Program provides undergraduate students, – primarily from underrepresented communities – experience that could lead a possible career in the Venture Capital/Private Equity industries. The 10-week program is a deep dive, and upon completion the students will receive a $10,000 scholarship.
The Investor firms hosting this week’s group of 2026 Scholars are The Vistria Group, Victory Park Capital, Growth Catalyst Partners, Prairie Capital, OCA Ventures and Frontenac.
The following three questions were asked of all the Scholars. This is Part Two of the series. Part One can be accessed by clicking here.
ALISSIA ANGHEL… School: University of Michigan, Firm: The Vistria Group
IVCA: What was your goal in initially applying to the IVCA Scholars program, and how does it connect to your academic interests?
Anghel: I applied to the IVCA Scholars program because I wanted to better understand what it truly means to be an investor. At Michigan, I've developed a holistic foundation through my BBA degree, but I wanted an opportunity to apply that foundation in a more hands-on setting. The IVCA program gave me the chance to move beyond the classroom and see how investors actually evaluate businesses, identify market trends, and think about creating value. It was exactly the type of experience I was looking for because it allowed me to bridge the gap between what I was learning in the classroom and what investing actually looks like in practice.
IVCA: What have you learned or experienced at your host firm that expanded your understanding of the Private Equity or Venture Capital industry?
Anghel: My experience at Vistria completely changed the way I think about investing. Working with the Knowledge and Learning Solutions team allowed me to learn not just what makes a good investment, but the process behind becoming a thematic investor. I was able to see how investment themes are developed, how investors identify long-term industry trends, and then evaluate businesses that fit within that thesis.
I also learned that being a successful investor means being a good partner. Whether it was working with management teams, collaborating with my own team, or supporting portfolio companies after an investment, I saw how much value comes from building strong partnerships. That was something I hadn't really thought about before this summer, and it's one of the biggest lessons I'll take with me moving forward.
IVCA: How has this experience shaped your thinking about your future, whether in terms of career goals or what you want to focus on when you are back at school?
Anghel: This experience reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in middle-market investing and confirmed that it's the type of work I want to continue exploring. What excites me most is that learning to think like an investor also means becoming a lifelong learner. Every company, industry, and investment opportunity presents a new challenge, and I enjoy the opportunity to continuously learn, ask better questions, and broaden my perspective.
As I head back to Michigan, I'm excited to build on everything I learned this summer through my coursework and student organizations like Girls Into Venture Capital while staying connected to Chicago's investing ecosystem through IVCA. I look forward to continuing the relationships I built with my fellow 2026 Scholars and the professionals I met throughout the program, and I hope to give back as an alum by helping future scholars experience the same opportunities that had such a meaningful impact on me.
NADIA ARIF … School: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Firm: Victory Park Capital
IVCA: What was your goal in initially applying to the IVCA Scholars program, and how does it connect to your academic interests?
Arif: My goal in applying to the IVCA Scholars program was to gain exposure to the world of finance outside the classroom, while connecting with both fellow scholars and industry professionals. The program has tied in closely with my academic interests as a finance major at UIUC. On campus, I've mostly been exposed to the sell-side of finance, so this opportunity has been invaluable for learning about the buy-side and broadening my overall understanding of the industry. It's also been amazing to meet so many great people through the weekly firm visits.
IVCA: What have you learned or experienced at your host firm that expanded your understanding of the Private Equity or Venture Capital industry?
Arif: While my host firm is private credit focused, everyone at VPC has been an incredible resource in helping me learn. This experience has introduced me to the niche world of asset-backed finance and taught me to think from a creditor's perspective. The IVCA firm visits, meanwhile, have continually exposed me to the PE and VC space, and it's been fascinating to see the unique strategies these firms use and the meaningful ways they contribute to our economy.
IVCA: How has this experience shaped your thinking about your future, whether in terms of career goals or what you want to focus on when you are back at school?
Arif: This experience has given me a valuable network and a much clearer sense of direction for my future career. Before this program, I knew very little about private credit, now I'm seriously considering it as a path alongside Private Equity, Venture Capital, or Fund-of-Funds, a shift that came directly from the firm visits and access to industry professionals that IVCA provided. This opportunity has also given me valuable context and perspective as I prepare for my next summer internship in investment banking at FT Partners.
PARTH BEDI … School: University of North Carolina, Firm: Growth Catalyst Partners
IVCA: What was your goal in initially applying to the IVCA Scholars program, and how does it connect to your academic interests?
Bedi: In initially applying, I had two primary goals. One, to grow my network within the private markets, and two, to land an internship in Private Equity. In school, I have quite enjoyed my financial accounting and investing courses, and I thought private markets would be a good opportunity to explore these interests further.
IVCA: What have you learned or experienced at your host firm that expanded your understanding of the Private Equity or Venture Capital industry?
Bedi: I have learned how important the operational side is … in today’s hyper-competitive market, financial engineering no longer works the same way it used to. Being able to create value operationally within companies is where the edge lies. Sitting in on calls with our portfolio companies has made that incredibly clear for me.
IVCA: How has this experience shaped your thinking about your future, whether in terms of career goals or what you want to focus on when you are back at school?
Bedi: This experience has solidified my interest in investing. The combination of critical thinking and piecing together disparate strands of information is an intellectual challenge I enjoy. It has also granted me a new appreciation for the complexities of businesses and upon returning to school, I want to understand these intricacies further from both the corporate strategy side as well as the financial side.
SARAH GRAHAM … School: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Firm: Prairie Capital
IVCA: What was your goal in initially applying to the IVCA Scholars program, and how does it connect to your academic interests?
Graham: As a finance major, I knew I wanted to complete an internship after my sophomore year to gain practical experience and deep-end my understanding of the concepts I was learning in the classroom. When I discovered the IVCA Scholars program, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to bridge the gap between academics and real-world application. Beyond the hands-on experience, I was excited by the chance to explore Private Equity and Venture Capital as potential career paths and learn more about industries that had always interested me.
IVCA: What have you learned or experienced at your host firm that expanded your understanding of the Private Equity or Venture Capital industry?
Graham: Before joining Prairie Capital, my understanding of Private Equity and Venture Capital was fairly broad and limited to what I had learned through my courses and general research. During my time at Prairie, I have gained a much deeper appreciation for how financial concepts are applied, from evaluating investment opportunities to understanding how to manage a portfolio company.
Office visits and conversations with professionals also exposed me to the different investment strategies and approaches firms take. These experiences have strengthened both my technical knowledge and my understanding of the soft skills that are essential for the industry.
IVCA: How has this experience shaped your thinking about your future, whether in terms of career goals or what you want to focus on when you are back at school?
Graham: My experience at Prairie has reinforced the importance of working for a firm whose values align with my own, particularly one that prioritizes collaboration, trust and long-term relationships. It has strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in Private Equity while showing me the kind of culture and environment I hope to be a part of. As I return to school, I look forward to continuing to learn more about the industry and expand my network through meaningful connections.
JOSHUA MENDOZA … School: Northwestern University, Firm: OCA Ventures
IVCA: What was your goal in initially applying to the IVCA Scholars program, and how does it connect to your academic interests?
Mendoza: I've always been passionate about technology and STEM, and at Northwestern I've been able to pursue that through my Computer Science program. Given this background, I'm constantly exposed to headlines about Anthropic's latest funding, AI's next unicorns, and The Garage, Northwestern's accelerator for groundbreaking ideas. When I applied to the IVCA Scholars program, I wanted to explore technology from the investor's side – what does it really feel like to be the one evaluating these groundbreaking ideas?
IVCA: What have you learned or experienced at your host firm that expanded your understanding of the Private Equity or Venture Capital industry?
Mendoza: At OCA Ventures, I've contributed to due diligence processes in Vertical AI for Industrials as well as Physical AI. I've enjoyed strengthening my research pipeline and developing new habits for getting up to speed on unfamiliar subjects. Having done the necessary diligence, I've also been able to weigh in, pass or no pass, during an investment committee.
This has given me a deeper understanding of the technical side of a business, and introduced me to the additional factors investors weigh when evaluating an idea. A founder's background, growth strategy, and leadership all play a major role in what ultimately gets funded.
IVCA: How has this experience shaped your thinking about your future, whether in terms of career goals or what you want to focus on when you are back at school?
Mendoza: This summer has been incredibly valuable, not just through my host firm OCA Ventures, but also through the additional IVCA partner firms we've visited, which gave me a broader sense of the investment philosophies out there. I've come to see Venture Capital as an industry where my passion for tech meets my eagerness to stay on top of investing. As I go back to school, I want to keep building my CS background while bringing this newly developed VC lens and participate into Northwestern's startup ecosystem.
HAMID SHARFI … School: Northwestern University, Firm: Frontenac
IVCA: What was your goal in initially applying to the IVCA Scholars program, and how does it connect to your academic interests?
Sharfi: When I first applied to the IVCA Scholars Program, I saw it as an opportunity not only to learn more about the broader private equity and venture capital ecosystem in Illinois, but also to gain exposure to different types of funds, investment strategies, and a network of investors that I could continue to learn from throughout my career.
The program also connects closely with my academic interests at Northwestern. I’ve been able to apply many of the fundamental and quantitative concepts I’ve learned in the classroom to investing, while also gaining exposure to the policy side of the industry, particularly how pro-business legislation and public policy can shape the environment in which companies and investors operate. That intersection between investing and policy is something I find especially interesting and see reflected in my coursework within Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy.
IVCA: What have you learned or experienced at your host firm that expanded your understanding of the Private Equity or Venture Capital industry?
Sharfi: Being at Frontenac this summer through the IVCA Scholars Program has given me a much deeper understanding of the full lifecycle of a Private Equity investment, from initially reviewing a CIM and evaluating a business to conducting diligence, analyzing company data, preparing investment materials, and ultimately seeing a deal progress toward closing.
What stood out to me is how nuanced the investment process really is and how much work goes into developing conviction around a business beyond just the financials. Having the opportunity to contribute to that process firsthand has really accelerated my development and strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in investing.
IVCA: How has this experience shaped your thinking about your future, whether in terms of career goals or what you want to focus on when you are back at school?
Sharfi: This experience has really shaped how I think about my development and preparation for a long-term career in investing. At Frontenac, I’ve had the opportunity to see transactions from the investor’s perspective and understand how Private Equity professionals evaluate businesses and develop conviction around an investment. Looking ahead, I’m excited to experience the other side of the transaction at William Blair next summer, where I hope to build a strong foundation in investment banking and really master the execution side of a deal.
NOTE: Because of a spellcheck error, two first names of Scholar participants in Part One were changed to a misspelling. Karen Toor should be KARAN, and Azeen Khan should be AZEEM. My apologies to both.
The 2026 IVCA CFO Summit is now open for registration and is FREE to all IVCA members, and will take place on October 22nd, 2026. Click on CFO for more information and instructions to register.