Raj Dwivedi hadn’t planned on a career in investment banking, but working in Washington, D.C., for the Heritage Foundation, a political think tank, piqued his interest. He found himself attending a lot of hearings of the Senate Banking Committee. “I lived across the street,” he explains.

Then the New Delhi native served as a research analyst for a boutique consulting firm, working with banks and private equity groups to conduct research for potential acquisitions. That deepened his interest in the field.

“I realized finance was my passion, and I did not want to wait for an MBA,” says Raj, who counts sailing, hiking and architecture among his hobbies and became a fan of Dallas sports teams during his undergrad years. “I looked into the options available to me, and an MSF degree just seemed like a great investment, with an opportunity to rebrand myself early in my career.”

He was drawn to Vanderbilt. There was just one catch. After living in big cities most of his life, he says, he wasn’t sure if wanted to move to another one, even if just for a year. Conversations with the career services team helped clarify his thinking. “The focus on community and the tight-knit network made me choose Vanderbilt over other schools,” says Raj.

“The preseason projections for Vandy’s basketball team didn’t hurt either.” Now, it appears, he gained another rooting interest along with a strong credential in finance.

Fun Fact: As an undergraduate, Raj was the first non-American ever elected as president of the student body at the University of Texas-Dallas.

An MSF degree just seemed like a great investment, with an opportunity to rebrand myself early in my career.”