Curious about PE at Booth? Lizzie Templeton, co-chair of the PE Group, reveals how it's shaped her MBA experience and why the PE Group is a game-changer.
- By
- February 10, 2025
- Private Equity
What Does it Look Like to Pursue Private Equity at Chicago Booth?
Tell us about yourself and take us along your journey towards pursuing private equity at Chicago Booth.
I’ve always had a passion for understanding how and why things work a certain way, but growing up in a family of investment advisors, I also had an itch for exploring the business world. This led me to pursue a major in Engineering with a finance track at the University of Illinois. After college, I joined Crowe in their Cloud Solutions Consulting group, in which we helped businesses transform their strategy and operations to become more tech-enabled and efficient.
After going into companies to deeply understand their strengths and weaknesses, and identify opportunities for improvement, I quickly realized it was also important to me to further understand how these improvements impacted the financials and put some ‘skin in the game’ in our recommendations. This sparked my interest in private equity and led me to the next question of “How do I get there?”
Booth was the clear path forward to me. With its renowned finance curriculum and strength of the Polsky Center within the private equity world—plus having multiple family members graduate from there—it was the only Chicago business school I applied to. I also wasn’t ready to leave my job at Crowe, so the flexibility of the Evening MBA Program at Booth was something that made an MBA possible at this point in my career.
From the moment I arrived, I immersed myself in a variety of clubs, but the Private Equity Group has by far had the greatest impact on my connections and career transformation. I immediately was surrounded by students who shared similar interests and was put in front of industry professionals to hear their paths and advice. The group also gave me relevant resources to validate my interest in PE.
What concentrations are you pursuing at Booth? Furthermore, what course(s) and other resources have you found most beneficial in helping you reach your career goals?
I am pursuing concentrations in Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management. With a background in engineering, I was eager to deepen my knowledge in finance by leveraging Booth's renowned finance curriculum so that I could confidently pivot into the investment industry.
One of the most impactful classes has been the Private Equity/Venture Capital Lab with Professor Chris McGowen, which provides invaluable hands-on exposure by pairing students with private equity firms for real-world, part-time work alongside the coursework. I am currently taking the class while interning at Morgan Street Holdings, an investment firm located in the West Loop.
The Private Equity Group (PEG) has also been pivotal in my professional development. It has helped me expand my network, refine my technical skills through modeling bootcamps, and connect with mentors in the industry.
Beyond the PE group, the broader Booth alumni network has embodied the “pay-it-forward” culture, agreeing to take the time to meet with students and share their career paths and advice. These conversations have not only guided me in understanding different career paths but they’ve also directly opened doors to exciting career opportunities.
This past summer I interned at BharCap Partners, in which one of the co-founders is a Booth graduate. This summer I will be joining Guggenheim Partners in their Private Equity Advisory Group, where I’m excited to build on the skills and experiences I’ve gained during my time here.
Tell us more about the mission and goals of the Private Equity Group.
The Private Equity Group's mission is to enhance Booth students' understanding of private equity. We do this through a variety of year-round social events, invited presentations, and panel discussions featuring speakers from a wide range of industries. This goes hand in hand with growing students’ network of private equity professionals in and outside the Chicago area as well as other students in or interested in the industry.
Tell us more about the mission and goals of the Private Equity Group.On a scale of 1-10, how beneficial do you feel it is for students interested in private equity to join the PE Group at Booth and why?
10/10 recommend! Whether you're exploring private equity for the first time or already have industry experience, the Private Equity Group offers resources tailored to all levels. The club hosts workshops to build technical skills, networking sessions that connect you with alumni and professionals, and events that help you effectively approach professionals on your own. There are so many resources between Booth and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation—the PE Group even does a great job of ensuring students are aware of upcoming relevant case competitions and conferences within the PE industry. The PE Group has truly been invaluable for me in building connections, securing internships, and navigating the relationship-driven private equity industry.
Fun Facts about Lizzie
Lizzie absolutely loves being outside and her favorite hobbies attest to that:
- In the spring and summer she trains for triathlons and half Ironmans
- She’s been a back-to-back national finalist in the USA Triathlons
- In the winter, Lizzie loves skiing and she’s also co-chair of the E/W Booth Ski Trip where they will be going to Telluride with 80+ Booth students this Spring Break
We hope Lizzie sharing her first-hand experience pursuing private equity at Chicago Booth gave you an idea of a few industry-focused resources that Chicago Booth has to offer. For more information on Booth’s curriculum, student experience, upcoming admissions events, and more we encourage you to sign up for our newsletter.
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