Southwestern Magazine | Fall 2019

“Think of it as the plumbing of the financial system,” Sivon explains, describing how his company facilitates operations during the three-day time period in between submitting a trade for a stock and the trade actually occurring. But Sivon wanted to try living outside of Texas. After three years in Dallas, he applied to the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS). The companywas interested not just in his previous work experience but also in his research withVanHorn and his capstone project. In the post-2008 financial landscape, regulations require banks to have mechanisms in place should themarket crash again. UBS hired Sivon in their NewYork branch as part of the team working to design and implement hypothetical scenarios designed to imitate severe stress on the market. “Basically, we try to reenact 2008 [in simulation],” Sivon says. Sivon moved to New York, where the 42-story UBS skyscraper on Park Avenue towers above Midtown. “It’s verymuch taken me outside of my comfort zone,” Sivon says, adding that he’s had to develop a thicker skin but that he’s also gotten much better at jaywalking. E.M.P.I.R.E. of trust A fewyears later, a sharply dressed runningback for theSouthwestern football team aspired to get a job in Chicago. Markell Henderson ’19 was drawn to Southwestern by the quality of academics, the average class size of 18 students, and the opportunity to play football. He recognized that he wouldn’t have to sacrifice his education to play the sport he loved. Hendersonwaswildly active in academic and campus life. Hemajored in economics and business, and he jokes that he almost counts football as a third major for the amount of time it took up. He cofoundedEstablishedMenPromoting Intelligence, Respect, and E«cacy (E.M.P.I.R.E.), an organization which combats racism, builds community, and forms positive male role models on campus. “Many minority men had negative experiences of students or faculty who limited [theminority students’] abilities to athletics and looked at that as the only reasons they were at Southwestern, recalls Henderson. “We wanted to change that narrative.” 42 SOUTHWESTERN Blair Orr ’19 also interned at the Round Rock Express in summer 2019. He says, “One thing that I learned while working with the Express is how vital it is to be well-rounded and proficient at different things."