Vaishali Shroff came to UNH Paul College to earn her master's degree in finance. With experience in corporate business law she wanted to expand her career opportunities by gaining advance knowledge in finance to help businesses make more informed decisions. She says the program is "very well structured and helps students gain as much knowledge and techniques necessary to survive in the competitive corporate world."
What motivated you to pursue a graduate degree in finance?
Ever since my childhood It was my long dream to pursue a master's degree from an elite university. I come from a family that is into managing their own business back in India. Finance and money management have been my core strengths given the family background. I am also an experienced corporate law professional with more than three years of experience. After moving to the United States in 2017, I realized how important it is to gain a master's degree and expand my knowledge in finance to make informed strategic business decisions. This advanced degree in finance will help me propel my career forward as my knowledge in finance, coupled with my experience in corporate law, compliance and due diligence, enables me to make a broader impact in the industry.
Why did you choose UNH and Paul College?
The reason I chose UNH was the a structured course for students to start their career in finance. It is a very well-designed, stem-designated program that gives international students the opportunity to work for three years. UNH has excellent infrastructure, well-equipped classrooms for students, and the Bloomberg terminals, which helps students do intense research and project reports. It is also very accessible to main cities like Boston and New York, which opens up abundant job opportunities.
Tell us about a favorite class and/or professor.
My favorite class during my course was Financial Modeling. In this class I not only enjoyed making financial models in Excel but also gained in-depth knowledge of financial theory and its important applications. I also enjoyed other courses such as Corporate Finance, Investment Analysis and Financial Theory. They were very rigorous and helped me gain knowledge and various concepts that helped me do intense research and make recommendations on individual companies.
Tell us about something you have learned/discovered during your program that surprised you. How do you think you will apply it professionally?
The most surprising thing for me was to gain knowledge in Python. I realized how the power of technology is changing the world of finance. This course also made me realize that one need not have in-depth engineering experience or a degree to learn a new language. It is one of the easiest computer languages that is making a greater impact in today's fast growing world. I am really excited to use this knowledge in the real world .
Looking back on your time at UNH, what are you most proud of and why?
Looking back at the the time spent at UNH, I am really proud of myself completing this course, as I initially thought it would be very challenging for a candidate having law experience to attain a Masters In Finance. The course is so well-designed, and with the help of professors at UNH, I could successfully achieve my long-pending dream and am looking forward to starting my career in finance.
What do you like most about Paul College?
One thing I like about Paul college is the entire finance team of professors. They are very kind, generously helpful, and accommodating. They truly are the best mentors and always strive to meet students' goals.
What did you consider to be the strengths of your academic program?
All the professors are very knowledgeable, very friendly, and easily accessible. This program is also very well structured and helps students gain as much knowledge and techniques necessary to survive in the competitive corporate world.
Do you have any advice for others who may be interested in this program?
This program is a very fast paced. One should be prepared to give their best and have strong basic knowledge in finance.
How do you hope this program will help you advance or pivot in your career?
This program has helped me gain knowledge and techniques necessary to do intense research, programming, modeling, portfolio management and corporate finance. All the topics are designed in a way to prepare us to be decisive within the give time alongside the team we are working with. I have learned to work in teams and under pressure. The courses also helped me improve my communication and presentation skills. They taught us to effectively present that data in a precise and efficient manner. These skills will definitely help me grow in my career.
Is there anything you feel is important to know about you that we haven't asked about?
Last year was very uncertain with pandemic in place. I am very thankful to all the staff and professors who were in constant touch with us and were always motivating us to reach our final goal
