Creating strong relationships through myriad experiences is central to the academic journey for MBA student Riya Yadav ’24. While she has previous work experience, she is especially pleased with the professional preparation, leadership, and networking opportunities she has immersed herself in while studying at UCR’s A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM).
“The emphasis on networking at AGSM is significant, and we make connections in numerous clubs and in our day-to-day activities,” says Yadav, who is currently co-chief ambassador of the AGSM Student Ambassadors program. “As an ambassador, I engage with industry leaders and work with the top students. We have fantastic events, like speaker series, and we enjoy traditional holidays together, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, with staff who have opened their homes to us.”
“Of course, it’s also an excellent opportunity to network with our cohort and industry experts—to learn how things are done in the American corporate world,” adds Yadav, whose MBA concentration is in data analytics and management; she plans to work with United Nations Women focused on gender equality and empowerment and in financial technology in a client- facing role.
Last year, Yadav administered the AGSM Women in Business (WIB) UC Collaboration event for International Women’s Week. “Taking up the responsibly of managing the entire event from outreach to logistics to post-marketing was extremely rewarding for me,” she says. “It was a great opportunity to prove and fine-tune my leadership style. The event was a huge success, and we are coordinating another in 2024 at UC San Diego.”
Yadav earned a bachelor’s degree in management studies with a concentration in finance and marketing from Jai Hind College in Mumbai, and since enrolling at UCR, internships and volunteer opportunities have compounded her networking and leadership prospects: She interned in summer 2023 with Northwestern Mutual as a financial planner in their San Diego office working cross-functionally with different teams; she is active in MBAchic, an online network for professionals dedicated to making education and jobs more accessible to women; and for the last four years, she’s been a member of Women in Technology International (WITI) and was recently appointed a WITI global ambassador networking with women and students interested in a career in technology.
Yadav is especially proud of her leadership within her Organizational Behavior course, which included Indian, Taiwanese, and Chinese students. “There was a communication gap between us, and as a group leader, I implemented writing points to bridge that gap, even for informal messages,” she says. “At Thursday meetings, the speaker from our student group reviewed the PowerPoint so that everyone was on the same page with the agenda and the topic we were discussing. This simple approach enhanced member involvement and helped us outperform with the grades we received for our case studies.”
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This is the third installment of a three-part series exploring the many ways Riya Yadav ’24 MBA exemplifies the deep involvement of our AGSM master’s students in the many professional enrichment opportunities on and off campus.