MBA Reflections: Nikita Jain, ’16 MBA

In this “MBA Reflections” blog post series, we will be featuring the profile and thoughts of a select few Whitman MBA students graduating in May 2016.

Episode 4: Nikita Jain
Background: B.A. in Business Administration in Finance from SUNY Buffalo
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/njjain

Why an MBA?

Although I had analytical skills, a bachelor’s degree in business and some work experience, I was hoping to sharpen my leadership skills and get to a senior level position. I decided to get my MBA so that it can help me achieve my long goals.

Why Whitman?

I had heard about the strong alumni network at Whitman. I wanted to be a part of a community where I could build strong relationships not just for the two years at school, but also for years to come after. I have had firsthand experience with some of the Whitman alumni who were very helpful and friendly. As I approach graduation, I hope to continue to be an active part of Whitman to in return help the others.

What have you gained from your time at Whitman?

In addition to the electives I took, I had the opportunity to be involved in some activities outside the classroom, which honed my leadership and time management skills. I serve as the vice president of finance for the Whitman Consulting Club and as a student committee executive of Consurtio. I am also a graduate assistant for Professor Diz, director of the Orange Value Fund, where I aid with research and helping students. These experiences outside the classroom have added color on my resume, which I would have never gained otherwise. It has been an amazing learning by experience for me.

What is your most memorable moment from your time at Whitman?

The last two years have been great. However, the most memorable time for me was orientation week. We had an entire week of activities and events planned out. We participated in a small case, did team building activities, explored career paths and learned about the types of courses. Most importantly, we built strong connections with each other, which made us comfortable with the each other from the get go.

Internship?

I interned at an independent music publishing company in New York City in a strategic financial planning and analysis role. I worked very closely with the vice president of finance and had opportunities to collaborate with different departments at the company. I created a financial model for the deals, which gave results about the potential NPV of the projects and worked on valuations. I also worked on a research project, where I conducted data analysis to predict a hit song using market data. For both the projects, I had the opportunity to present my findings to senior management.

Are your goals or plans different since starting your MBA?

My goals are not very different expect that they are more focused. Since my internship experience over the summer I am more focused on roles, such as strategic financial planning and analysis.

What is your dream job?

This is a tough one. After my MBA, I see myself working within an organization that emphasizes team and strategic company growth. I want to be a part of a team that is responsible for strategic financial planning and making those decisions that will affect the long-term performance of the company.

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Amal Mehic

Amal graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Following graduation, Amal worked as a project team member for OSU Engineers Without Borders, identifying and creating solutions for infrastructural issues faced by a village community in Honduras. She then worked for the Kansas Department of Transportation as an engineering associate, supervising bridge building sites and validated the bridge designs by other engineers. Amal also worked for Braden Manufacturing as an applications engineer, developing technical and visual engineering solutions to clients.