Bridging Barnard Generations

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This summer, Aidyn Reid ’26 is exploring the world of wealth management alongside Barnard alumna Emma Cunningham ’20 at Morgan Stanley — a pairing that’s been rewarding for them both. Reid, a math and economics major, is in her second summer at the firm, working closely with Cunningham in the family office resources division, which serves ultra-high-net-worth clients.

Cunningham, who joined Morgan Stanley after participating in the same summer analyst program, says mentorship was core to her Barnard experience — and something she’s eager to pass on. “One of the things Barnard taught me was the importance of finding good mentors and building relationships,” says Cunningham, who was mentored by a Barnard alumna when she started at the firm. 

That relationship not only taught Cunningham what it means to be an effective mentor but also informed the way she has approached Aidyn’s internship. “I want her to learn and make sure it is a well-rounded experience,” says Cunningham. “[The internship] is also helping me to grow as an employee and as a leader.” 

Reid discovered Morgan Stanley early through Beyond Barnard. “In true Barnard woman fashion, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to apply to all these places right now as a freshman,’” she says, laughing. After learning the corporate ropes during her first summer, she returned to gain more big-picture knowledge as it relates to her professional path in the wealth management community. “This summer is a lot about understanding how I want to move forward with my career,” Reid says. “What do I want my contribution to the company or the world to be?” 

With this immersion into the financial services sector, she’s found that the day-to-day is as much about perspective as spreadsheets. 

“The reason that I always wanted to study math was that I thought of it as a common language — everybody knows what numbers mean,” says Reid. “And here [at Morgan Stanley], I feel like I’m learning another language that I can adapt to and use.” 

Cunningham says having a fellow Barnard grad on her team brings fresh energy and insight. 

“One of the first weeks, I had Aidyn review a report that I had spent hours and hours looking at, and she was able to see things that I couldn’t,” she recalls. “Having someone who hasn’t been quite as in the weeds but who also has a different perspective and has a different day-to-day from us — I think it is really helpful for me and for our team.”