“I am ambitious, hardworking and relaxed by nature and always look forward to new experiences.”
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Fun fact about you: I have backpacked through 19 countries so far and the coolest experience was a submarine ride in Mauritius!
Basic education and qualification:
Bachelor’s degree: University of Mumbai, Bachelor of Commerce
University degree: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Chartered Accountant (CPA equivalent)
Where did you last work before enrolling in business school? Marico Limited (CPG Multinational based in India) as Business Finance Manager
Where did you do your internship in summer 2023? Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Pittsburgh, PA
Where will you work after you graduate? Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Pittsburgh, PA – Consultant
Community work and leadership roles in the business school:
President – Tepper Consulting Club (TCC)
Vice President, Alumni Relations – South Asian Business Association (SABA)
I also received the Thomas M. Kerr Ethics in Business scholarship
Forte Fellow
Communication coach at the Accelerate Leadership Center
What academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of while studying at business school? Leading the Consulting Club (TCC) during my second year was one of the highlights of my MBA and the accomplishment I am most proud of. TCC is one of the largest clubs at Tepper and I am grateful for the trust my peers placed in me to lead the club. I gained a lot from it during my recruitment and wanted to give back by carrying on the legacy of TCC. Despite a difficult recruiting year, with the support of a strong 13-member board, we were able to make the most of it through rigorous programming, structured mentoring, and reinstating in-person consulting activities post-COVID. Overall, this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow as a leader.
What achievement in your professional career are you most proud of? My internship at BCG was a rewarding experience and I am proud of the impact I was able to make for my client. I was tasked with identifying opportunities to increase profits by breaking down high savings into short-term, tangible milestones. I also built Tableau dashboards from scratch to track over $100 million worth of these savings over a three-year period. The dashboard rollout was a success and it was gratifying to see the tool being used in CXO discussions to inform future strategic decisions. I grew as a leader in my role by taking ownership of my workflow and meeting specific, time-sensitive client requirements. I’m excited to get back in full-time and work on such high-impact projects!
Why did you choose this business school? As I explored my business school options and spoke with current students, Tepper’s manageable class sizes and resulting close-knit community really stood out to me. Moving to another country was a big change, and in addition to Tepper’s strong consulting offering (which I wanted to transfer to), this business school also offered a lot of potential for collaboration. And over the last year and a half at Tepper, I’ve certainly been able to experience that, while meeting some incredible classmates with inspiring backgrounds.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? Professor David Goyette – I took his Corporate Acting course last fall and I really enjoyed it! Professor Goyette has a natural, relaxed way of teaching. The classes were very engaging and fun. I was introduced to a whole new world of acting and its interesting applications in the business world. Professor Goyette gave each student personalized feedback, was always interested in our development, and even took time on non-lecture days to practice our duets and monologues.
What was your favorite course during your MBA? I took Professor Robert Dammons Corporate restructuring I took this course in my second year and learned a lot from it. The course focuses on restructuring transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and divestitures. As someone who has always been interested in this area, I really enjoyed learning the intricacies of structuring deals on a financial and strategic level. Professor Dammon’s courses were very engaging and I loved how he simplified core concepts to enhance learning.
What MBA event or tradition did you enjoy most at your business school? My favorite event was the Diwali Bash 2023 hosted by SABA. I was part of the organizing team and it was great to share Indian culture with our non-South Asian classmates as #TepperTogether. The event was a huge success with performances by classmates in various art forms including Bollywood dancing, singing and a fashion show. It was a night full of energy, nostalgia and positivity.
Looking back on your MBA experience, what would you do differently and why? Looking back, I would have liked to try more courses outside of Tepper. I took a woodworking class at CMU’s engineering department last fall and enjoyed building things from scratch. I would have loved to explore other CMU courses in disciplines like AI, language, and music.
What is the biggest myth about your school? “CMU Tepper has a strong focus on quants” – Although Tepper offers a number of courses that are heavily focused on quants, they also offer courses in other areas such as organizational behavior, communication, and entrepreneurship. I felt there was a healthy balance between quants and soft skills. Some of my favorite courses at Tepper like negotiation and marketing for entrepreneurship were from such diverse disciplines.
What surprised you most about business school? When I started, I expected that all of my classmates’ experiences would be similar since we would all be going through the same program. But I loved the flexibility that a business school can offer, allowing each student to customize their MBA experience. Some classmates wanted to pursue new career paths, while others wanted to focus on refining important skills like communication and leadership. Despite our busy schedules, we eventually found a way to balance classes, recruiting, and social lives. There is no one “right” way, but rather each of us was able to find our own path to success.
Which MBA classmate do you admire the most? Peter Vannorsdall is a classmate I truly admire, especially his work ethic and commitment to giving back to the Tepper community. Peter served as Vice President of Professional Development at TCC, a role in which he led high-impact recruitment initiatives. I love his engagement in class discussions, his meticulous academic approach, and how he is always willing to help classmates in any way he can!
What are the two most important things on your professional bucket list? The two most important things on my wish list are working on a project abroad and developing an influential leader. I really enjoyed my experience working cross-culturally before my MBA and I want to broaden my horizons further by getting to know a new culture, for example in Europe. I also want to grow into a leader who leads with purpose, integrity and courage while having a lasting positive impact on society and community. I want to be a reliable mentor for the next generation of leaders and inspire change for the greater good!
What made Rasika such a valuable addition to the 2024 vintage?
“After successful jobs in accounting and finance, Rasika came to Tepper to pursue a career in consulting. Rasika is an outstanding student who immersed herself in the curriculum and took a comprehensive and rigorous approach to learning.
Rasika completed an internship at BCG in the highly competitive consulting space and will join BCG full-time after graduation.
She served as president of the program’s largest club, the Tepper Consulting Club (TCC). She organized and led the TCC board to help fellow students and first-year students interested in recruiting for consulting/strategy positions. Rasika devoted a lot of time each week to working with the board and working directly with first-year students. She is always willing to listen to different points of view, and she works collaboratively to identify and solve problems.”
Lesley Kromer
Director of the Masters Career Center at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business
