SOM student wins Rising Star Award – Binghamton News | SOM student wins Rising Star Award | Binghamton News

One phone call can change your day.

Earlier this year, Sophia Rueda, a senior at Binghamton University’s School of Management, was awaiting a call from her mechanic — but when she picked up, it was a representative from Girls Who Invest (GWI), a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the number of women and non-binary individuals in executive leadership and portfolio management.

They informed Rueda that she won the 2026 Bilge Yilmaz Rising Star Award. She said it was a pleasant surprise, and felt immediate appreciation.

“It was an honor for me to reflect back on my experiences and realize that all of the hard work was worth it,” she said.

At 15, the Queens native started working three jobs to save up money for both competitive dance and college. She was a waitress, a cashier at a grocery, and a dance instructor.

“That was a pivotal period in my life, because it taught me a lot about hard work and resilience,” she said. “It showed me that to reach my goals, there are steps I need to actively take toward them.”

Her time at Binghamton has been even more eventful. She’s served as president of the Dean’s Mentoring Program, president of Women in Business, an assistant for Career Services, an EY Student Leader, a senior analyst in the Binghamton Investment Fund, and a member of the University’s Division I Dance Team.

Rueda approaches her packed schedule with a grateful mindset that reframes her many daily tasks and keeps her motivated.

“I feel like I’ve been able to take on so many responsibilities because they’ve never felt like responsibilities to me,” she said. “These are things that I get to do, that I want to do — not that I have to do.

“Also, I’m only in college once, and I come from a background where I didn’t know how far I’d get. So, when I came to Binghamton and was presented with these different SOM clubs, I wanted to do every single one. I view the Dean’s Mentoring Program and Women in Business as opportunities to work on my passion projects, rather than a responsibility I have to take on.”

Rising star

Rueda was a summer program scholar for GWI last year. The Bilge Yilmaz Rising Star Award, named after an instructor in the program, is awarded each year to a recent graduate of the program who has been an exemplary young leader, is paving their way in the finance industry, and is inclusive, opening doors for others.

This was a fitting description for Rueda. In her various leadership roles at the University, she helped organize countless events for female students to learn about the industry and make their voices heard as they enter their careers.

She received the award at Cipriani Wall Street, an event venue in New York City, and delivered an acceptance speech to over 800 investment professionals and GWI alumni. To prepare for the night, she worked alongside a public speaking coach and rehearsed in front of family, friends, and SOM faculty and staff.

“It was so exhilarating,” she said. “The speech ended up going amazingly. It was incredible to get up there and share my story, and have so many people who now support me and know me better.”