Meet Isamar Lopez-Veracruz: From Education Leadership to Tech Innovation at JPMorgan Chase

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Internship Company: JP Morgan Chase    

Internship Department: Corporate Challenge Product Team, Customer Acquisition Marketing Platforms 

Internship Location: Plano, TX

Position Before MBA: 

• Title: Director of Family Engagement
• Company: YES Prep Public Schools
• Location: Houston, TX

How did you secure your internship?

I connected with the JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) team at the National Black MBA Association Conference in Washington, D.C. They’ll be in Houston this upcoming year and will be hosting an event at Rice. 

What is your role and responsibilities during the internship?

What many people don’t realize is that large banks are also major tech companies. They manage vast amounts of data, which means their technology and innovation teams are critical to the firm’s success. As part of a rotational program, I was placed with the Product Tech team supporting the Corporate Challenge platform, which manages registration across 16 locations in eight countries and six continents.

My project focused on developing a go/no-go strategy for a new global lead acquisition feature. I was responsible for stakeholder management and documenting project workflows. The platform, now in its third year, still has tremendous growth potential, and I’ve enjoyed diving into product development while learning how customer experience shapes strategic decisions. A highlight of my internship was being in the working group of AI implementation for our product. 

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How did your MBA coursework prepare you for this internship?

Courses like Competitive Strategy, Strategy Formulation and Implementation, Customer Experience, Communications, and New Product Development were instrumental. The frameworks and tools I learned helped me bring fresh insight and structure to a well-established team.

My communications class was especially useful for understanding the pyramid structure of communication, and learning how to leverage communication to influence others helped me lead stakeholder conversations with teams across the globe. Having a strong foundation from my MBA allowed me to contribute meaningfully from day one. 

How does the internship align with your career goals?

As a career pivoter, this rotational program is a perfect fit because it allows me to explore various business areas like finance, tech, risk, product, data and strategy. I came into business school seeking exposure to new industries beyond education, and this internship is giving me exactly that.

One of my top goals was to apply what I learned in the MBA to real-world work, and I’m grateful to already be doing that. This experience is helping me better understand corporate life and where I can make the biggest impact.

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What is your favorite part of your internship experience?

Building relationships with my recruiter, Taylor P., and the other interns has been a highlight. We supported each other through challenges, celebrated wins together and created a real sense of community during our first rotation.

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Keep an open mind. I didn’t think I’d be considered for JPMC because of my non-traditional background, but they were genuinely interested in fresh perspectives and people who are eager to learn.

The recruitment process was warm, transparent and supportive from start to finish — and that support continued throughout the internship. I truly enjoy being part of a company that invests in its people. Also, the opportunity to attend town halls with senior leadership makes the company feel surprisingly tight knit, despite its global scale.