Aarushi Goyal first pursued a commerce degree at Delhi University, India, where finance emerged as her passion and led her to complete internships spanning diverse sectors. Her interest drew her to SFU Beedie's master of finance (MSc Fin) program, an opportunity for Aarushi to enrich her financial expertise.

Throughout the program, Aarushi participated in SIAS and Net Impact, honing her practical knowledge and skills. She recently landed her first full-time role as an assistant cost consultant at Turner & Townsend, a multinational professional services company headquartered in Leeds, U.K., specializing in program and project management, cost management, and consulting across the property, infrastructure, and natural resources sectors.

My journey

During the pursuit of her bachelor's in commerce from Delhi University, Aarushi was drawn to finance amidst the diverse subjects she encountered during her degree. This curiosity prompted her to delve deeper, taking part in a few internships that helped her further explore the multifaceted nature of finance.

From facilitating housing loans to steering precision steel tube manufacturing and overseeing expansive infrastructure endeavours, she recognized the integral role of finance professionals at every juncture. Driven by a quest for deeper understanding, her exploration led her to SFU Beedie’s MSc Finance program.

My experience at SFU Beedie

Beyond honing her skill set and developing new areas of financial knowledge, the MSc Finance program at SFU Beedie enriched Aarushi’s interpersonal acumen, a vital asset in a multicultural environment. She also gained new skillsets from participating in student clubs and extracurriculars.

Aarushi was always fascinated by ESG (environmental, social, governance) and used her thesis as an opportunity to dig deeper and find out how ESG truly impacts a company’s performance. Although she arrived at a mixed result, the experience taught her that moving forward, the business world needed to discover ways to drive growth while avoiding toxic growth.

Highlights

For Aarushi, participating in the Student Investment Advisory Service (SIAS) fund was one of the highlights of the program. MSc Finance students selected from the program get the chance to manage a portfolio valued at over $22M CAD—the largest student-run fund in Canada and one of the largest such funds in North America.

“You get to apply your textbook knowledge,” she says. “I think that’s a great starting point for a newcomer like me to understand the industry better and learn how to manage real money. The best part is that you are under the supervision of your faculty advisor, which ensures you have enough independence but also are supported.”

Aarushi’s experience with Net Impact also taught her a lot about interpersonal skills and the importance of ensuring team members feel comfortable and heard.

“The success of this team really depended on us,” says Aarushi. “Innovation and collaboration were the two things that helped us achieve the top 10 international chapters of the year.”

Where I am today

Having recently secured her first full-time role as an assistant cost consultant at Turner & Townsend, Aarushi’s journey took time, perseverance, and belief in herself. She engaged fully in career support opportunities and resources such as networking, hiring events, career counselling with SFU Beedie’s Career Management Centre, and part-time roles and internships to gain experience.

“All this helped me build a profile that employers wanted to work with,” says Aarushi. “Had I landed a job right after graduation, I wouldn’t have had a chance to meet and network with so many individuals from diverse backgrounds. Now, I know exactly what I want. So my advice is to always be patient, confident, and keep exploring.”