From New Graduate to Impact: Meeting Our Newest Full-Time Hires

At SoFi, our New Grad Program is the first chapter of a long-term career. We believe that the best way to build the future of FinTech is to invest in early talent, providing a bridge from the classroom to the heart of our mission. Today, we are proud to spotlight Maryam Mussa, Max Cooney, Natalie So, and Duong Nguyen, four exceptional individuals who began their journeys in our New Grad Program. By transitioning from learning the ropes to owning the work, they’ve gained a unique perspective on our culture, our pace, and what it truly takes to live the SoFi Way.

Transitioning from university to a full-time career is a huge leap. What was the specific moment during your internship or SoFi’s Finance Leadership Program when you realized SoFi was the right place to land?

Duong: It was the accessibility of leadership. As an intern, I had the visibility to present my work directly to the CEO for a case study and to the CTO for my specific project. Realizing that the traditional "boss vs. employee" hierarchy doesn't exist here made me realize my potential was limitless.

Maryam: I felt it through the pace. I joined full-time in September 2024, immediately after my internship. I learned quickly that people here move with massive ambition. Success depended on how fast I could throw myself into the work, and having a team that trusted me to bring my own ideas to the table from day one was invaluable.

Max: I participated in the Finance Leadership Program (FLP) which gives new graduates the opportunity to rotate across SoFi’s finance organization and work on complex, high-impact projects through three six-month rotations. The moment that stood out was actually the first few days on the job. The FLP class above us went out of their way to welcome our cohort, get us settled, and make us feel at home. That genuinely resonated with me. When the people around you invest in your success from day one, you know you're in the right place.

Natalie: For me, it was getting to see the real-world impact of the work I was doing. As a Creative Production Studio intern, I had the opportunity to work on everything from paid social ads and internal company-wide assets to creative for the SoFi website.

One moment that really stood out was seeing an ad I had worked on actually show up on my friends’ and families’ social media feed. It was a small moment, but it was really exciting to see something I had helped create out in the world and reach real people. I was trusted to contribute to real, meaningful work, and I got exposure to so many different sides of the creative process. That experience made me realize SoFi was a place where I could continue learning, take on new challenges, and actually see the impact of what I create.

Once you moved into your permanent roles, how did your support systems evolve to help you handle professional responsibilities?

Max: My support system really grew when I transitioned out of the FLP and joined the capital markets team full time. Capital markets is a large, fast-moving team that's constantly bringing on new members, so they have a natural rhythm for ramping people up. From day one I had plenty of opportunities to ask questions, access resources, and learn from experienced colleagues who had been through the same process. That environment made the transition from the program into a permanent role feel seamless.

Duong: My team in Digital Identity acted more like friends and mentors than supervisors. They gave me a level of autonomy that’s rare for an entry-level engineer. Having that safety net allowed me to take on "limit-testing" tasks that I originally thought were beyond my reach.

Natalie: As an intern, there was naturally a lot more guidance and people checking in to make sure I had what I needed. Once I became full-time, I was given a lot more autonomy to manage my own projects, but I still knew I had a team I could lean on.

One of the biggest ways I’ve seen that growth is in meetings: I went from being the intern who would listen and learn, to becoming more confident in sharing my perspective and eventually leading meetings and projects of my own. Having a team that supported my ideas and trusted me with that responsibility gave me the confidence to step up and take more ownership.

Is there a specific project you started as an intern that has now come to fruition in your full-time role?

Maryam: Definitely. During the summer of 2024, I worked on the Home Equity (HE) business. I was tasked with refreshing the HE web presence, which meant doing market research and working with data science to calculate member savings. Since then, the Home Equity business has expanded significantly, and it’s been amazing to see those early creative projects I touched become a core part of our marketing.

Max: The rotational nature of my work meant constantly carrying best practices forward. One example is the ERP implementation I was involved in during my first rotation. I was brought in during the early building and testing phases, so I wasn't there for the full rollout, but I helped lay the groundwork for what is now our current ERP system. Seeing that come to life in my full-time role has been a cool full-circle moment

Looking back at your journey, what is the biggest lesson you’ve learned about succeeding at SoFi?

Duong: It’s about the 1% improvement mindset. Don’t just write code; focus on micro-habits, like learning a new design pattern or communicating more clearly. I also suggest "limit testing"—seek out the hardest, most uncomfortable tasks. That’s where the growth happens.

Maryam: Show up and be an active partner. My job is highly cross-functional, so building a strong foundation with partners is key. My advice? Ask questions, be a participant, and keep that camera on! It makes you a teammate people actually want to innovate with.

Natalie: One of SoFi’s core values is “Iterate, Learn, Innovate,” and that mindset has taught me to challenge the status quo. What’s made that lesson stick with me is seeing how deeply that mindset is embedded in the way we work every day. From the way meetings are run, and how teams are organized, to the workflows we use, there’s always an openness to question what we’re doing and find a better way forward. Everyone at SoFi is really receptive to feedback and change. This has taught me not to just accept something because it’s the way it’s always been done. Whether it’s finding a more efficient workflow, approaching a creative project differently, or bringing a new idea to the table, I’ve learned to speak up and challenge myself and the people around me to think differently.