Hitting the Street
Finance and economics major Evan Overcash ’18 leverages golf and writing to excel in investment banking.By: Cindy Kuzma Tuesday, May 28, 2019 00:00 PM
Evan Overcash '18 is a private equity placement agent at 5Capital. Photos by Fernando Gaglianese.When Evan Overcash ’18 headed to Los Angeles for a prestigious internship at Capital Group after his junior year, it wasn’t just his golf skills that set him apart. “The rest of the interns were from Harvard, Stanford, Brown, a couple from University of Michigan—top business schools,” Overcash says. “And then there was me.”
Overcash may have been the only intern from a small liberal arts college, but his well-rounded, writing-focused background meant he had fine-tuned communication skills, which gave him an edge. The double major in finance and economics had a job offer upon his return to campus, and he got Muhlenberg on Capital Group’s radar: “We did not have a relationship, and they specifically reached out to me because they liked Evan,” says Tom Dowd, executive director of career services. “They now post internships and jobs with us, and I attribute that to his performance.”
Though honored, Overcash declined the Capital Group role. His true passion resided on the other side of the industry, raising capital for top-tier fund managers in the alternative investment space (think private equity, venture capital and private credit).
Overcash had long felt pulled toward a career in the financial services industry. At Cumberland Valley High School, he shadowed bankers at Morgan Stanley and a few local firms. When Overcash visited Muhlenberg on the suggestion of his mother, the beautiful campus intrigued him. A conversation with the coach sold him on combining a Division III golf career with his studies. Over time, he’s found knowledge of the sport critical in making business connections.
Though Muhlenberg lacks a business school, Overcash found many mentors via the Career Center and the College’s Wall Street Club. The group offers many of the advantages of a business program, from alumni connections to Excel courses to preparation for an intense recruiting process. The goal? “To produce Muhlenberg students who are accepting top-tier jobs in the financial services industry and help build out our Muhlenberg alumni network,” says Overcash, who was co-president of the group his senior year.
The club worked as promised for Overcash, who learned about the industry, found his niche and pursued it. Senior year, he began an internship at 5Capital, working on pitchbooks and fund manager research while golfing and finishing his classes. Managing his time was tricky, but the experience allowed him to work his way to his current full-time position as a private equity placement agent.
“You never know when an opportunity like that is going to come knocking,” he says. But thanks to his hard work at Muhlenberg, “I certainly was prepared.”
