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Meet the MBA: 1st Year Vishakha Tiwari

A native of Northern India, Vishakha Tiwari has worked for KPMG in Bangalore, India, and as a Business Analyst for Accenture. She has worked for various causes such as education, gender equality and with different NGOs. Tiwari is now pursuing her MBA, concentrating in Strategy with additional focus areas in Analytics.

Tell us about your hometown and what you were doing before the MBA program.

I am from Patna, one of the oldest towns in the northern region of India. Patna is known for its hospitality, exceptionally decadent cuisines and its contributions to the Indian Independence movement.

Before the MBA, I was working full-time as a Management Consultant with KPMG in Bangalore, India. I have worked on several client service transformation, revenue diversification, project management and claims analytics projects. I have also worked with Accenture as a Business Analyst between 2016 and 2019. My undergraduate major was Electronics and Electrical Engineering.

Outside of work, I was heavily involved in volunteering with several NGOs and worked for causes like education, gender equality and upskilling differently abled individuals.

Pre-Covid 19, I would often go on road trips with friends and explore places around the city.

What are your intended MBA concentration?

With my management consulting background, I am looking forward to specializing in Strategy to transition into Strategy Consulting. I also believe that data is one of the biggest drivers in today’s business landscape, and I plan to specialize in business analytics to be able to bridge the gap between technology and business.

What made you choose UGA's MBA program?

Georgia’s MBA program is highly selective with smaller class sizes. I always wanted my MBA experience to be an intimate one. A couple of colleagues I looked up to at work were Terry alumni and they had great things to say about the MBA program. Further in my research, I found out about award-winning faculty and the great curriculum with concentrations like Strategy and Business Analytics that I am looking forward to specializing in during my MBA. I was able to get significant financial aid from the University, and the total package offered led me to choose Georgia’s MBA program.

What is your favorite part about living in Athens so far?

Athens is like a breath of fresh air after spending the last 4+ years in a major metro city back in India. I am often taken aback by the simplicity and natural beauty of this place. Living in a college town is one of a kind experience, especially during the football season.

There is plenty of amazing food downtown. I have always been a fan of Jazz and R&B and definitely feel like I have hit the jackpot with the music scene.

What has been the most challenging part of the program so far?

I faced some unique challenges with my MBA plans due to the pandemic. Being an international student, my travel plans were significantly delayed, and I didn’t arrive on campus until a month after classes started. I had to figure out a number of things like housing, insurance, bank account, etc., as well as find my footing in the class in a very short span of time. This could have been a disaster; however, I had a lot of help from my class team, professors, career management team, the admissions team and the overall UGA administration. Things are looking up now and I hope to catch up with the rest of the class soon!

What are you hoping to get involved with in the MBA program?

Overall, I am looking forward to the rigorous, market-driven curriculum and developing a thorough understanding of concepts. Along with that, I am interested in contributing to the Consulting Club and Women in Business and discovering any volunteering opportunities.

What is something unique or interesting that most people don't know about you?

I love reading fiction and writing book reviews. I have been on the Editorial Board and the Literary Society at my Undergraduate University, High School and Secondary School.

Before diving into MBA preparations, I was among the Top 6 national Book Reviewers on Goodreads and got a chance to interview some of my favorite children’s book writers like Ruskin Bond.

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