Gandhali Vaidya – March 2018
Texas A&M Department of Economics Amazing Student
March, 2018
Name: Gandhali Vaidya
Hometown: Mumbai, India
High School: I did my Bachelors of Arts in Economics from D.G.Ruparel College, Mumbai. I also have a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Department of Economics, University of Mumbai.
Degree objective: Master of Science in Economics with a concentration in Financial Econometrics.
Expected graduation: May 2018
University highlights, awards, scholarships: I have been awarded a merit scholarship from the Department of Economics for both the years I have been at A&M.
Current employment: I have been working as a Teaching Assistant in the Department for Principles of Economics (ECON 202). I also am a Tutoring lab assistant for all undergraduate Economics classes taught within the Department.
Family ties to Texas A&M: I am a first-generation Aggie! My parents are hack in India. My brother graduated from Michigan Technological University a couple of years ago and is now working based out of North Carolina.
I chose to attend Texas A&M because… What brought me to A&M were purely academic reasons. My aim was to start working after I graduate with my Masters. The structure of the course was definitely the highlight for me. It was amazing how much the course was preparing students start working in the industry post-graduation. But, I was so thrilled to be introduced to all the culture and traditions here. That’s how it transformed from being just a university to what l would proudly call HOME
My favorite things to do on campus are… Whenever I am on campus, I usually am either attending classes or working. But I love all that the campus has to offer. I enjoy a quick walk around the academic building and the military walk. I especially enjoy the lake at the back of the Bush presidential museum. Sitting around the lake would probably be my most favorite thing that I could do any day. I love sipping on coffee somewhere around the main campus. lf it’s a quiet night with a clear sky, l also like visiting the Bonfire Memorial. It has a sense calm in the air.
When I have free time, I like… Since I have started living on my own, I really enjoy cooking. I also go all out on a cleaning spree every chance that I get. But most of all, I usually end up binge watching TV series.
The craziest thing I’ve done is… My Opthalmologist has advised me against swimming. In spite of that, I went scuba diving with a couple of my friends a few years ago. And it was so much fun.
My favorite place to study is… l need calm and quiet surroundings when I am studying. So, l usually end up in Evans or Annex when l really want to concentrate.
My favorite ECON professor is… I was fortunate to have been taught by a number of incredible professors. But l have to say that my favorite would be Prof. Craig Schulman. I was totally new to programming when I took his class. Rut, he was amazing with his teaching and helping me develop interest and skills in SAS. He always goes out of his way to help students in any way he can. He is also such a positive person. I can even talk to him today with any questions about SAS and he’d take some time out for you and be glad lo help.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with… I would want to share an afternoon with Michelle Obama. She is such an inspiring person. l would love to hear all about her journey as the First Lady of the United States.
If I knew I could not fail, I would… If I knew I couldn’t fail, I would get a license to fly an aircraft. I love skies. And they look so pretty from up above the clouds.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to… I would love to travel around the world. You can’t fail to come away from traveling inspired with a fresh perspective and new ideas. I love travelling and everything that comes with it – people, places and food. But I enjoy my own company.
What is your passion and how are you committed to pursuing it? As a kid I have always had my family support me through everything, looking after me, taking care of me and guiding me all my life. I I have always known that I wanted lo be independent. I want lo live on my own all the while taking care of my family. Coming to the United States was my first step towards the journey. I learned to manage things simultaneously while I was applying to universities here. Now starting a job someplace would be my next step in the journey. I am also passionate about helping people understand their strengths. I can’t bear the thought of someone doubting themselves. To that end, I am always striving to make people feel better. And I am ready to go all the way to ensure that happens. I have kind of always helped the people I know in this matter. But now, even when I have the slightest hint of any problem, I approach and talk to them about how they feel about it.
After graduation, I plan to… Even though I am still looking for a job, I am absolutely looking forward to start working. I am excited about what life holds for me. l am passionate about pursuing a career in Transfer Pricing. l developed deep interest when I took a class here at A&M completely focused on transfer pricing methods. I’m also interested in the Energy sector and would love an opportunity to work in it. But given a chance, I’d love to go back to India to meet my family, even if it is just for a couple of weeks before I start working.
The one Texas A&M experience I will always remember is… I will always remember the first midnight yell I attended my first semester here. This was the earliest exposure that I had to our culture. I was bewildered to see so many people following the yell leaders with such enthusiasm and love for the university. I would also not forget the first Silver Taps I attended. The memory still is so fresh in my mind. I have the utmost respect for the traditions that we follow as Aggies.