Rituparna Das ’18
Education: MS Management Information Systems Professional: Goldman Sachs; Sunnyvale, CA
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Describe your career and what led you to your current position. Having worked as a Software Engineer for an IT firm in India, I realized that it was time for me to move forward in my career, and maybe in a different direction. In a world where technological architecture and information modeling are becoming the primary dimensions in designing business models, I believed that a degree in MIS would equip me with a wide array of competencies required in this regard and help me navigate the complex world of business technology. This motivated me to apply for the MS in MIS program at Mays Business School. Today, I can rightly say that pursuing my master’s at Texas A&M enhanced my career and prepared me well to face the real world challenges. At Goldman Sachs, I am responsible for designing, developing and maintaining tools used to interpret market risk and capital metrics using the Goldman Sachs object-oriented programming language. Additionally, I report market risk and capital metrics to internal and external stakeholders, which involves re-designing reporting frameworks and implementing various technologies. What extra-curricular activities were you involved in at A&M? Texas A&M is one of the most diverse universities in the United States with rich traditions and thousands of student organizations. I was fortunate to have been a part of a few of these organizations including Indian Graduate Student Association, Women in Technology and Buddy Connect. I worked as director of public relations for the Indian Graduate Student Association where I got the opportunity to interact with various other student organizations on campus and conduct several cultural and social events. Women in IT provided me with a great platform to network with some of the best professionals in the industry to have a better understanding of the current job market. Last, but not the least, having helped my buddies from the Class of 2019 was something I truly enjoyed. Texas A&M is known for its Aggie Spirit and the selfless service Aggies extend to the people and society. MS-MIS Buddy Connect is trying to uphold the same value by facilitating the transition of incoming students into the business school and I am proud to have been a part of this organization. Before I conclude, I would also like to mention that I got the opportunity to work as a Teaching Assistant during my two years at A&M which I thoroughly enjoyed. Not only did I get to work with an amazing professor whose guidance was invaluable, but also the experience of interacting and helping hundreds of students was once in a lifetime experience. What was your favorite course at A&M? My favorite MS-MIS course at A&M was ISTM 643 – Corporate Information Planning. I took this course in my final semester and thoroughly enjoyed it. This course required us to present our analysis about the impact of emerging technologies on various organizations across the world. We were grouped into teams and on several occasions, we were asked to present our findings to the rest of the class. Technology has been revolutionizing our lives and this course gave us an opportunity to study and understand the effect of this on corporate organizations. What was the most beneficial course you took at A&M? MGMT 680 – Business and Corporate Strategy was the most beneficial course I took at A&M. I believe that this course honed my business acumen and helped me identify and analyze the corporate strategies of various retail, financial, healthcare, technological, etc. giants. Being able to identify business problems and implement logical reasoning to come up with solutions is something every job would demand. This course greatly helped me in understanding the causes behind any challenge that a company is facing and prepared me to deliver my ideas to overcome those challenges. Why did you pursue a master’s degree? My decision to pursue a master’s degree was primarily driven by my interest in technologies along with a strong aspiration to pursue a career in the field of management and analytics. Pursuing my MS at Mays Business School assisted me in gaining thorough knowledge through several good courses, building a strong network and exploring various career opportunities. Moreover, holding a master’s degree helped me distinguish myself in the global market. What advice do you have for someone who is considering returning to school to earn a master’s degree? My advice to anyone considering returning to school is that try and make the most of your time at school. The couple of years you would have as a graduate student will get over with the blink of an eye, only for you to realize later that your college life is now done and dusted. It is very important to have a good balance between one’s academics and extra-curricular activities. Not every body gets a chance to attend a wonderful school like Texas A&M, so try to make every single day a memorable one. What is the biggest challenge you faced in graduate school? Time management is the biggest challenge that I faced in graduate school. Managing my own courses, working as a teaching assistant, attending on campus events and contributing pro-actively to the student organizations I was committed to sometimes could become overwhelming and challenging. I tried my best to ensure that I was able to manage my time well and handle all these responsibilities. What is the biggest reward for earning your MS-MIS degree? My biggest rewards for earning an MS-MIS degree are the wonderful experiences I have had in Aggieland during my two years here. The fact that I am an Aggie for life is something I take pride in. My MS-MIS degree not just prepared me for a better career, but helped me inculcate some of the wonderful core values Texas A&M believes in. I will forever cherish my education at A&M and will try my best to uphold the Aggie Spirit no matter where I am. |
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