Alumni Spotlight: Andreja Stamenkovic ’20 Find what you are really passionate about and study it beyond the classroom!

June 23, 2023

Meet Andreja Stamenkovic ’20! Andreja is an Argyros alumnus who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He fondly remembers his time at Chapman for the lifelong friends and mentors he gained, for finding his career calling, and for learning a lot about himself in different classes and different teaching styles. “Memories made and lessons learned both in the business program and outside of Argyros truly shaped my character and my core values today.”

Andreja’s Chapman Experience

Since his first semester at Chapman, Andreja was a member of the Chapman University Investment Group (CUIG) and then joined the residency program later on. He recalls the senior student members of those groups being incredibly helpful to point him in the direction he wanted to go and that they answered any basic questions he had. Andreja says, “The work in the groups itself was also very exciting and it helped me learn more about finance in addition to my classes.”

Andreja also developed a great relationship with most of his professors at Chapman. “I was amazed by the amount of time and effort they are willing to put into seeing you succeed as long as you show the effort and the eagerness on your end,” he says.

Fadel Lawandy and Terry Burnham are the professors Andreja named as people who encouraged him to own up to his goals and demanded he was the best version of himself each day on campus. “This led me to where I am today both career and character-wise”. When asked about his favorite class, Andreja named Death, Self, and Society with Bernard McGrane as a must-take.

Andreja was also an involved student outside of the classroom. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity where he met an incredible group of aspirational gentlemen who are doing some incredibly successful and impactful things today.

Andreja’s Career Experience

Andreja is currently a Private Equity Impact Investing Associate at Apollo Global Management, Inc. Apollo is a $500B+ asset manager that has been a private equity pioneer for more than 30 years. Andreja’s group, Apollo Impact Mission (AIM), lives in the equity realm where they buy companies, help them grow and become more efficient, and ultimately try to place them back into the market at a higher valuation. AIM specifically focuses on companies that generate either positive environmental or social impact.

Before working for Apollo, Andreja worked in Investment Banking for 2 years at Credit Suisse‘s M&A group which helped him obtain the necessary skills to be successful at his current job. Before joining Credit Suisse, he completed an internship with L Squared Capital Partners in Newport Beach that helped him prepare for both the roles at Credit Suisse and Apollo.

There are various ways that Argyros prepared Andreja for his career. In addition to the guidance he received from the CUIG and his professors, Andreja mentions that the Wall Street Prep at Chapman was a very useful as tool for him to gain the technical skill set needed for the jobs he aspired to do. Additionally, Andreja says, “Walk Down Wall Street was a must-take when I was there for the real-life experience and connections with the alumni in NYC.”