Bridge to Tomorrow

David Mussafer, chair of the Board of Tulane, still has the actual yellowed piece of legal paper from 1990 on which he wrote his life goals at age 27. On it were three columns: personal goals, business goals and philanthropic goals, which he referred to simply as “giving back.”

Fulfilling that goal has been a continual pursuit for Mussafer (B ’85), chairman and managing partner of Advent International, and his wife, Marion. Over time, the couple aligned around the broad goal of trying to “make a powerful, positive impact” on the lives of more than a thousand people, and increasingly this has centered around education.

At Tulane, working toward that goal has resulted in Mussafer Hall, the university’s hub for academic advising and career services; funding for the Tulane Innovation Institute; and last fall, a $10 million gift to launch the David and Marion Mussafer Internship Initiative.

“These collective initiatives advance, in new and exciting ways, Tulane’s mission of preparing our students to become leaders who will have a lasting and positive impact in all fields,” Tulane President Michael A. Fitts said. “With the Mussafers’ newest internship initiative, the university is building a comprehensive career readiness program that will offer every Tulane undergraduate student the invaluable opportunity to obtain internships, mentorships and real-world career experiences before they graduate.”

Mussafer knows firsthand how transformative such experiences can be. His own career in private equity was launched via a summer internship in 1989 at the firm Adler & Shaykin under the mentorship of John Quigley, a partner at the firm at the time and later the founder of Nassau Capital LLC. “I actually didn’t get the job that I was hoping for, but I gained enough experience and established personal and professional relationships that led me to Advent,” Mussafer said.

He joined Advent International in 1990 and has been a leader throughout his career at the company, which he has helped grow into one of the world’s largest and most respected private equity firms.

Since Mussafer’s days at Tulane in the 1980s, real-world skills have only become more pivotal for a student’s future career success.

“An internship is a bridge between what a student is doing academically and their next chapter in their career,” said Mollye Demosthenidy, dean of Newcomb-Tulane College (NTC). “The Mussafers’ gift is a recognition on their part of the value of an internship and how access to these opportunities is critical for students.”

The Mussafer Internship Initiative will leverage the university’s global alumni and family network to connect students with meaningful work opportunities. Through the program, students can apply classroom learning to professional settings, empowering them to graduate with skills, experience and contacts that lead to meaningful careers.

Culture of support

The philosophy of Tulane’s undergraduate education centers around opportunity and support.

Senior mathematics and finance major Sophie Casto felt that kind of support the moment she set foot on campus. “Tulane has a much more collaborative culture than other universities have,” she said. “The opportunities Tulane offers, both socially and academically, are unmatched by other schools.”

Hoping to go overseas during the summer after her first year, Casto reached out to NTC Career Services and the Office of Study Abroad.

She landed an internship in Tokyo with the consulting firm Visual Apha. That experience led to an internship with Vista Equity Partners in Austin, Texas, in her sophomore year, followed by a junior-year role with New York investment bank Moelis & Company.

Casto is now set to work full-time for Moelis & Company upon graduating in May. She credits her success to the encouragement and education she received at Tulane.

Students say Tulane’s supportive environment empowers them to collaborate better in the workplace, increasing their chances of success. For example, during his summer internship at BNY, senior marketing and computer science major Ethan Kraus sought advice from his coworkers before a meeting with the chief information officer (CIO).

“As the meeting got closer, I met with people on my team to prepare,” Kraus said, adding that the CIO even promised to try out one of his suggestions. “I think this effort really impressed my team and contributed to me receiving a return offer,” he said.

Hub of opportunity

Helping students like Casto and Kraus achieve their own life goals is the reason David and Marion Mussafer are so committed to expanding career education and opportunities at Tulane. That was their goal in pledging $5 million in 2016 to establish Mussafer Hall as a central hub for services dedicated to the success of students in their academics, careers and lives.

A decade later, Mussafer Hall is constantly abuzz as students meet with advisors, receive coaching and attend career education programs. Now, they will also be able to find more internship support there than ever before.

Under the umbrella of NTC Career Services, the career and professional development team, the employer connections team and a whole new team focused on the Mussafer Internship Initiative are working toward strengthening and centralizing student career support coming from all corners of campus.

“We’re creating an ecosystem,” said Katherine Ruckstuhl, director of the Mussafer Internship Initiative. “We’re finding and creating opportunities for paid internships and supporting students with resources and coaching from start to finish. And we’re doing this in partnership with all five of our full-time undergraduate schools.”

The perfect piece

For recent graduate Bella Castro (B ’25), her time at the Texas branch of Boston Consulting Group was the perfect final piece of her college experience.

During her internship, the management team would often leave puzzles for employees in the break room.

While fitting pieces together on a Texas-themed puzzle with her coworkers, she was struck by the realization that everyone surrounding her came from different towns and cities. Yet, they had come together to tackle the same task with their unique perspectives.

“Being surrounded by people who approached even small challenges with that level of intelligence and openness was both inspiring and energizing,” said Castro, who will soon begin a full-time role at Boston Consulting Group.

“Through NTC Career Services and the A. B. Freeman Career Management Center, I received targeted career coaching, case interview preparation and live behavioral practice, all of which helped me sharpen how I think, communicate and present under pressure,” Castro said.

More students than ever will be able to take advantage of this kind of coaching, thanks to the Mussafer Internship Initiative.

“We have coaches that will be available to the students before, during and after their internship. We can coach them through the internships and then coach them on how to translate that to the next step in their career journey,” Demosthenidy said.

Empowering employers and students

When Naya Ben-Meir answered an email from her professor Alexis Culotta about an internship at M.S. Rau in New Orleans, she wasn’t looking for a job, but taking it paid off.

“I have gained immense knowledge on the type of work environment I enjoy, the subjects I take an interest in and the opportunities available to me as I move into my professional life,” the senior psychology and art history major said of her time working in the research department of the esteemed antiques purveyor.

For Ben-Meir’s supervisor, Emily Otranto, the experience was equally rewarding.

“Tulane students bring rigor and a genuine sense of curiosity,” she said. “They come in ready to learn and ready to contribute.”

The Mussafer Internship Initiative will foster more of these mutually beneficial relationships between interns and companies by supporting employers in much the same way it supports students.

“We provide support to employers on best practices and how to be a good mentor,” said Edward Cruz, assistant dean and executive director of NTC Career Services. “We are building out a suite of employer resources to help them understand what it means to have a learning outcome, a substantial experience and mentorship.”

Through the initiative NTC will provide support so students can take advantage of can’t-miss opportunities.

“It’s not uncommon for us to hear a student say, ‘I got this great internship in New York, but it doesn’t really pay enough for me to take it, even though it’s a great opportunity,’” Cruz said. “Whatever it is that they need, we’ll try to help them get across the finish line on it.”

NTC will also foster internships in more cities worldwide, similar to Tulane’s Summer Internship in Barcelona program, which combines work experience abroad with coursework focused on career competencies.

Lifelong advice

The Mussafers’ goal of giving back goes beyond financial commitments. It’s personal.

“I talk to students all the time,” Mussafer said. “Competition for that special job is fierce, and it’s easy to get dejected, but don’t. The advice I give to young pros is to try to separate yourself from the herd stampeding for the same job and build personal relationships versus waiting for the opportunity to come to you.”

“Your life will be richer and more enjoyable if you are fortunate enough to find work that you are truly passionate about,” Mussafer said. “Marion and I are passionate about education and thrilled about the work that Tulane is doing to build powerful avenues for young people to pursue their dream jobs!”