Mateo Rengifo Orozco ’25 has been named a 2025 Princeton in Asia Fellow. As part of the fellowship, Mateo will join Mongolia’s largest investment bank, Mongolia International Capital Corporation (MICC), as an investment banking analyst based in Ulaanbaatar.
Princeton in Asia (PiA) offers one- or two-year work placements in Asian countries in the fields of education, international development, environmental advocacy, journalism, law, and business.
Mateo said the fellowship will allow him to explore new cultures. It’s that same spirit of wanderlust that led him to apply to university outside of his home in Bogota, Colombia. While he was accepted to both NYU New York and NYU Shanghai, he chose to attend NYU Shanghai because he wanted to step outside his comfort zone. He said he is grateful to his parents for supporting him to attend school halfway around the world.
“I wanted to chase discomfort, and I think my personality matched NYU Shanghai perfectly,” he said.
With that same mindset, he applied for the Princeton in Asia fellowship to further develop and build on what he said NYU Shanghai has taught him: “Thinking of yourself as a global citizen, being comfortable with putting yourself out there and knowing that if you want something, you should let [the world] know,” he said.
Mateo (front left) on a road trip with a group of NYU Shanghai friends earlier this year.
“I'm very excited about having no expectations and letting myself be surprised about being able to continue to grow, about using all the skills that NYU Shanghai taught me– to not be frightened to make new friends, meet new people, and hone my investment banking skills,” he added.
At NYU Shanghai, Mateo was active in TAMID Group, a nonprofit organization that helps undergraduate students develop professional skills through hands-on interaction with the Israeli, Chinese, and American economies.
He gained experience in accounting and equity valuation, did a summer internship in Chinese at a solar energy company, and served as a project manager of NYUSH TAMID’s chapter. Those experiences gave Mateo the edge when it came to applying for PiA and securing a year-long position as an investment banking analyst within MICC.
At NYU Shanghai, he also participated in the “One in 24 Race,” an annual 24-hour filmmaking competition, winning second prize in his sophomore year for his team’s film, “Foggy Notion.” Among his classmates and professors, Mateo was known for his love of travel and his open mind.
“Mateo is a student who truly made the world his major, said Assistant Professor of Finance Geoffrey Zheng. “He is always eager to make the most of the opportunities afforded by this city and this University. As his professor, I appreciate that he consistently takes initiative - both by speaking up in the classroom and by seeking guidance on his thesis.”
Zheng said Mateo was also full of surprises. “I was amazed to learn that, over spring break, he and a group of friends road-tripped through Western China,” he recalled. “I hope he continues to surprise me in the future.”
Mateo’s worldview was a good fit for studying at NYU and he believes it will also benefit his chosen career. “To be a good business person, you need to know what's going on around you,” he said. “As an NYU Shanghai student, you've lived all over the world. You gotta know how it all connects, why it all connects and be comfortable with it.”
He plans to follow his spirit of wanderlust throughout the fellowship and beyond. Mateo plans to stay on for the second year of the fellowship and then continue working in investment banking either in Singapore or Shanghai.
Office of Global Awards Director Anna Kendrick sent her congratulations. “Mateo’s decision to start off his career in Ulaanbaatar as a PIA Fellow speaks to his adventurousness, spirit of service, and the same commitment to community that has characterized his time at NYU Shanghai,” she said “PIA is an esteemed, century-old fellowship whose ethos — fostering cross-cultural understanding through meaningful work and deep community — strongly resonates with our vision as a university."
Learn more about previous Princeton in Asia Fellows Safia Kariapper ’19, Branden Taylor ’18, and Alhan Fakhr ’17. For information and advice on applying for external scholarships and fellowships during or after your time at NYU Shanghai, contact the Office of Global Awards: shanghai.global.awards@nyu.edu