‘MBAs to Watch’ Features Smith Grads with Dual Analytics Degrees

Recent graduates Prathiba Pandiarajan and Aravind Srinivasan of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business are featured in Poets & Quants’ “MBAs To Watch: Class Of 2024.”

The pair is among 126 recent grads from 69 of the world’s top programs, ranging from the Asian School to the Yale School of Management. Collectively, according to P&Q, the students “viewed the world differently and made every class discussion richer as a result.

These graduates didn’t fly under the radar: they grabbed the reins and led by example, bringing an energy that made classmates look to them.”

Pandiarajan completed a dual MBA and MS in Marketing Analytics degree with a 3.9 GPA. Excelling academically, she also “was one of the most prominent community builders at Smith,” Tunay Tunca, dean’s professor of management science and operations management, told P&Q.

Pandiarajan’s multiple leadership roles included MBA Association Executive Vice President and revealed “her energy, leadership and positive attitude” that led to her being “universally beloved by her professors, her classmates, school administration and staff,” Tunca added. “I have no doubt she will be a star professional as much as she has been a star student and classmate at Smith.”

Srinivasan also completed his MBA in dual fashion—with an MS in Business Analytics. He said he chose Smith for both its “strong alumni network” and the opportunity to experience a “unique” opportunity to build and blend his leadership and analytical skills. He credited Academic Director of the MS Marketing Analytics Judy Frels for “[integrating] current events into our classroom discussions which closed the gap between theoretical concepts and their practical applications in a real-world scenario… Her assignments on segmenting, targeting and positioning, and the MARKSTRAT game insights into market analysis, strategy formulation, and decision-making processes [equipped] me with valuable skills.”

Frels told P&Q that Srinivasan brought valuable experience to the program from working in B2B sales in the automotive industry. “[H}e brought a real-world connection to our marketing class,” she said. “He was able to share stories about working with some of the most well-respected brands in the world and was able to support some of our B2B topics with his own experiences. He also asked questions that were two to three layers deeper than someone without his experience would be able to ask.”

Pandiarajan likewise cited Frels, in addition to Tunca and Clinical Professor Marketing Mary Beth Furst. “[Tunca] laid a strong foundation for understanding data analysis using statistical models and hypothesis tests, emphasizing its crucial role in business decision-making. This laid the groundwork for subsequent analytical courses,” she said. Frels and Furst “provided guidance and pushed the boundaries of my critical thinking. It shaped my problem-solving and strategic thinking skills that are essential in marketing.”

Read more from Pandiarajan’s and Srinivasan’s profiles at P&Q and about Smith’s STEM-Designated Full-Time MBA Program.