Serena Shah ’21 Puts Her Own Spin on Family Tradition
Serena Shah ’21 may have followed in the footsteps of her father and uncle by choosing Stevens, but the career and post-baccalaureate path she is charting in global markets and investment management is her own.
At first, Serena Shah ’21 resisted her father’s suggestion that she consider Stevens. “He and my uncle both had a great experience at Stevens, so I understood why he was eager for me to apply. But like many teenagers, I wanted to go my own way.”
Shah was looking for a great business school where she could also play soccer. “Dad encouraged me to contact the Stevens soccer coach,” she says, “so I relented and scheduled a visit. I met the coach and learned that the women’s soccer program was in the top 20 nationally. And then I learned how competitive the Business & Technology program is. I liked that technology is infused into all of the courses and that there were so many minors and concentrations to choose from. I knew that Stevens would be perfect for me.”
In addition to a spot as a forward on the Women’s Soccer team, Shah enhanced her learning through the Stevens Student Managed Investment Fund (SSMIF), where she held roles as equity research analyst (information technology sector) and junior portfolio manager, and operations senior portfolio manager. She built career experience as an assistant to the coordinator of undergraduate outreach and reputation in the Stevens School of Business (SSB) and through internships with PGIM’s Fixed Income Portfolio Analysis Group and Ernst & Young Global Consulting Services.
Shah jumped into a host of campus activities as well, serving as president of the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society; member of the Alpha Phi International Fraternity; student ambassador and peer mentor for the Stevens School of Business; peer leader for Undergraduate Student Life; ethnic Student Council representative for the Indian Undergraduate Association; and StevensTHON morale captain.
Many of Shah’s classmates transitioned to graduate study right after graduation, and while Shah herself was considering continuing her education, she plotted a different course. “I felt that it was important for me to get real-world experience in my field at first,” she says. “I joined RBC Capital Markets’ Group Risk Management Rotational Program upon graduating, and then moved into Securitized Product Sales at Nomura.”
Even though the work was fluid, fast paced and exciting, after three years in the field Shah left to enroll full-time in Stevens’ master’s program in Accounting & Finance. While completing her master’s degree, she helps a local business with sales management.
“Stevens prepared me well for these early career roles and I could have easily continued on that track,” Shah explains, “but I have other goals in mind. My path might be a little less traditional. Still, I am confident that my work experience, along with my Stevens master’s degree, will set the stage for continuing a trajectory in global markets and investment management at a higher analytical level.”
As a graduate student, Shah is every bit as active on campus. She is a student worker for Graduate Finance programs and has been elected to the Office of Graduate Education’s Master’s Student Advisory Board. She also contributed her perspective as graduate representative to the search committee charged with recruiting the new Dean of the Stevens School of Business. More recently, she participated on an alumni panel event hosted by the Stevens Consulting Group, a student-run organization that prepares students for careers in consulting, and she is actively involved in the university’s creation of a graduate-level SSMIF.
“I love giving back to Stevens, especially through mentorship,” she says. “Even before I enrolled in the master’s program, I found ways to stay connected and support current undergraduate students.”
It is easy to see why anyone who works with Shah points to her exceptional work ethic. To Shah, that goes hand in hand with being part of Stevens. “That’s the thing I have loved most about Stevens,” she says. “I made so many life-long friends – and I met my partner! – at Stevens. Our professors and coaches challenge us, and we challenge each other. Our dedication to hard work sets us apart.”
“My journey is a little different from that of many of my colleagues,” Shah continues, “but that’s the point, isn’t it? There is no one-size-fits-all path to success. My experience at Stevens has taught me to lead with grace and to adapt as needed. Success is not defined by what happens to you, but by how you respond.”