Spotlight on International Graduate Student | Arundhati Naikavde

I am tech-savvy as well as a people person. I earned my B.E. in IT from the University of Pune in India, and worked with Accenture as a software developer for three years. I then moved to the United States for my Master's in Management Information Systems (MIS) at Hood College.

As a new international graduate student, I participated in all the Graduate Student Association (GSA) networking and international events. I acted as Master of Ceremony at the Hood Diwali celebration and International Festival events which allowed me to be in frequent touch with Hood faculty and students. Becoming engaged with the Hood community allowed me to grow and learn a lot in the first four months of my graduate program.

I am constantly looking for opportunities to work and learn. I volunteered to teach programming language to middle school students in Frederick, MD for the Hour of Code program.

Getting the opportunity to work as an Executive Assistant to Hood’s Dean of the Graduate School was a perfect example of being at the right place at the right time. The Hood Graduate School office has an air of joyfulness and everyone makes you feel special. Working with Dean April Boulton, Ph.D. has been the best experience I have had to date. She is an impressive leader, passionate about making graduate students’ life not just better but fantastic! Her enthusiasm and contagious laughter trickle down to every graduate school member.

When my assignment with the Dean ended, I was looking for a role that would help me connect faculty and students. When I discussed this with Dr. Boulton, she offered me the role of Graduate Student Ambassador which I immediately accepted. I have enjoyed every minute of my work with the graduate office team, and have learned a lot from everyone.

While I was working as a Hood Graduate Student Ambassador, I was looking for summer internship opportunities in the field of Management Information Systems (MIS). I applied to several companies and networked at Hood Career Center and Graduate School events. I polished my resume and practiced my interview skills. I was fortunate to be offered a summer internship opportunity at Thermo Fisher Scientific located in Frederick, MD.

At the start of my internship, I was a little overwhelmed given the company's global impact. As time progressed I made new friends and gained excellent experience and skillsets in the field of MIS. My hard work paid off as my internship got extended into the fall semester.

Every day at Thermo Fisher is a new day for me as there is so much to learn. I enjoy the work atmosphere, and I am looking forward to gaining additional work skills from this internship.

Hood College has a lot to offer. The campus community is very friendly and cordial as a whole. I also enjoy attending my classes and learning from the faculty. The smaller class size helps to foster communication between students and professors.

I enjoy celebrating the many events that Hood College organizes each term. My favorite memories to date are acting as MC at the International Festival event sponsored by Hood’s Saudi Student Association, and working on my final project for the Advance Data Analytics class with Carol Jim, Ph.D.

Participating in Hood College activities and being engaged has helped my personal and professional growth. I never miss any important opportunity to get involved, and it has grown my network tremendously. I never shied away from hard work either.  My advice to new international students is to keep your eyes open and look for the opportunities that will help you learn, and grow. Never run away from hard work!

Inspired by Arundhati’s journey & ready to #GOFURTHER in your studies and career? Learn more about Hood College’s graduate programs, including Management Information Systems, by clicking here.