Meet Khushi Gupta (BBA intake of 2021), currently pursuing her Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance. Bringing with her an impressive academic track record, she chose SP Jain Global's BBA program for its global learning experience. 

Curious to know about Khushi's journey? Let's dive into her story and explore the challenges and moments that have shaped her professional path.

Could you tell us a bit about your personal and academic background? 

When people ask me where I am from, I call myself an embodiment of India – born in New Delhi with roots in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka and have lived in Mumbai for a major chunk of my life. As a result, I am also fluent in five languages.

For my education, I studied the IGCSE and A-Level curriculum and was awarded the MISA Topper Award for my IGCSE results. 

What inspired you to pursue the BBA program at SP Jain Global?

The opportunity to extrapolate my classroom learning in practice and on a global scale initially drew me to SP Jain Global. The BBA curriculum is highly sought-after in India, but what sets this particular BBA program apart from the rest is the promise of a global platform with a wide variety of courses that let me explore and understand my strengths. 

How has the program progressed from your first and second years of BBA?

The second year was definitely more challenging compared to my first year. The courses picked up the rigour, and I was exposed in depth to subject areas like Data Science. A lot of hard work and dedication had to go behind going above and beyond the course requirements, managing my part-time job, and my personal time. Thankfully, I was surrounded by classmates and colleagues who were understanding and supported me in every way possible to maintain this balance.

What are some of your favourite aspects of the program?

The opportunity to learn beyond the stereotypical realms of business and explore the new-age business trends hands-on has been my favourite part of the program. Living in multiple cities, being exposed to their local people, cuisine, and culture is definitely an added benefit. 

Have you worked on any interesting projects as a part of the program?

Developing a machine learning algorithm for my Data Science for Business group assignment has been one of my favourite projects to work on so far. We developed a classification algorithm that would classify whether or not a murder defendant in the USA would get the death penalty. This project required tons of manual research work to create the dataset for the model to learn on, as well as understanding the biases of our model to improve its precision. Working on this project was like a rollercoaster, with several highs and lows, and this was different from our usual class projects. It was also interesting to work on how this model could be used in business by law firms to build their case, helping us realise the importance of data science in business. 

Have you had the opportunity to take up any internships yet?

I have had the chance to intern at multiple places in the market research, operations, sales, and finance departments. Working in multiple areas at the beginning of my academic journey helped me realise my calling, which is why choosing a finance major in my second year was easy. Although I have always imagined myself in marketing and sales, the internships made me conclude that I enjoy working in finance and risk management more. It was a big turning point for me. One thing that has been common throughout all the departments, however, is that nothing ever really prepares you for corporate life. It is unpredictable. Yet SP Jain Global will teach you to take risks and make decisions, which is a crucial survival skill. 

How has your time living and studying in Singapore impacted your personal growth and development?

I had the chance to spend my summer semester before my second year in Singapore, and those four months have been some of the most memorable moments in my SP Jain Global journey so far. The Singapore faculty and non-teaching staff will always be dear to me.

From enjoying a treasure hunt to learning Chinese business etiquette, my experiences with Global Learning activities were inexplicably fun and unique. Although I was living away from home, Singapore’s warmth never failed to make me feel welcome. Instead, the entire experience made me a more confident and financially smart individual. 

How is SP Jain Global helping you take a step closer to achieving your goals and future aspirations?

I aspire to work in the financial risk management field in the future, and SP Jain Global’s finance faculty has been of great help in not only chalking out my future plan with me but also for being available for my technical doubts and clarifications. They help in making my foundation stronger. Meanwhile, peer interaction and the school’s alumni network also guided me in a direction I should work towards to build a stronger professional portfolio. 

What advice would you give to students who wish to pursue a BBA at SP Jain Global?

My advice for students is - Make the best out of the opportunities provided to you. It is easy to slip into your comfort zone and socialise with only your community. Try to push yourself and work in roles that scare you, talk to people different from you, and you will find yourself more emotionally intelligent and rich in experiences.