Sean Legister ’11 is currently an Alternative Product Specialist in Goldman Sachs’ Merchant Bank. He has been with the firm since receiving his bachelor’s in both Black Studies and English from Amherst College in 2011. Prior to his current role, he was an equity sales trader on MAPS, a cross-asset team, since its 2014 inception. He started his career at GS as a sales trader in equity based financial instruments, listed derivatives, swaps, and international equities as part of the Global Institutional team.
Sean serves on the Board of Trustees of the Cristo Rey New York High School, where he mentors current students and alums. He is the founder and curator of the Monday Morning Lift (MML) and Breakfast Bites. The MML is an e-mail subscription service that aims to inspire, challenge, and motivate readers of all ages. Breakfast Bites is an initiative he created at Goldman Sachs to help Black professionals gain exposure within the firm, as well as build the culture within the Black community. Both of his parents were born and raised in Jamaica.
Sean Legister ’11
Q. What is one thing you learned about yourself early in your career?
A. I learned early in my career that my adversity only defines me if I let it. I struggled through my registration exams, and when I look back, I ask myself, “Why?” Am I dumb? Did I not work hard enough? I didn’t take tests at Amherst so learning the material, as well as how to take tests are skills that I’ve needed to improve over time. After my initial setbacks, many people judged my aptitude based on my test scores given there aren’t many tangible data points from which to determine one’s ability so early in a career. However, nine years later, I’m still at Goldman Sachs (studying more than most for tests) but continuing to build a career. I trust that the initial adversity allowed me to understand what it takes to be resilient and how to manage through personal struggles.