Native Country: India
Why NYU Tandon?
Like many people, I saw New York City in movies and became fascinated by it. After I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer technology in Chennai, I realized I really disliked programming, but still wanted to work in tech. I needed more education to do that, and once I began researching schools and saw that NYU Tandon had a Management of Technology program, I became excited about the idea of trying it.
Was it hard adjusting once you arrived?
Taking on an entirely new course of study pushed me out of my comfort zone; it was definitely a little scary at first. But the field turned out to be a great match for me. You could say that I had taken a risk, but it was an educated risk, and it paid off.
As for adjusting to life here outside of the academic part, that was easy. It was the friendliest, most diverse setting you could imagine. Within 15 minutes of setting foot on campus, I felt at home.
I had already met other students at an event the graduate admissions people had held in Chennai, and a group of us decided that if we were accepted, we’d room together. We’d go on Craigslist after midnight because of the time difference, and call about possible apartments then.
What has your career been like?
The Wasserman Center was a huge help with internships, and I found my first job, right after graduation, from a posting on the NYU job board. That was with an equity research firm. Soon after I arrived, the CEO had the idea to do a spin-off company, USquare Insight, that would focus on data analytics. The work involves a good blend of tech and management, and it’s exciting to be on the ground floor of something.
How did your NYU Tandon education prepare you for success?
I’m the wrong person to ask this because I’m biased. I ended up loving every single one of my classes. I even took classes at other NYU schools, which is a big advantage to studying at a large, diverse university like NYU. If I had to single out any particular courses or professors, I’d say that my marketing classes with James Cincotta have proven very useful on a daily basis.