Ketki Acharya

Discover SIM GE By Bianca, SIM-University of Birmingham Student For Ketki Acharya (pictured below), learning doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom. The SIM-University at Buffalo (UB) Bachelor of Science (Business Administration) and Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) student believes that making the most of her university experiences and vibrant student life will set her on the path to success when she steps into the workforce. Sociology provides us ideas and insights into how we live and move and have our being, says Carmen Lee A Thirst For Enriching Experiences “Since high school, I have been involved in student clubs because I truly understand that some things can only come to you through experiences. Hence, when I came to SIM and heard about the over 80 clubs I couldn't be happier. I also enjoy meeting new people all the time, so being part of co-curricular activities (CCAs) has helped me not only to meet different people, but understand different cultures too.” “At SIM, I am part of the executive committee of The Writers Society, Student Representative as well as the HR and Consulting Career Chapter. I was also fortunate enough to be given a chance to be able to intern at the SIM Regional Marketing Department. Apart from this, I volunteer with organisations like Babes, a volunteering organisation that helps girls deal with teenage pregnancy.” Ketki is a volunteer with organisations like Babes which offers pregnancy crisis support. Honing Leadership Skills “As the President of the Student Representative, I also have a better understanding of the roles and the challenges that other students face as I have taken up some of their roles prior to this.” “Being a leader is great and it helps you develop a great sense of achievement and pride when the people you work with do something well. I believe that I still have a lot to learn about leadership and through shadowing my mentors, I will be able to better understand the other key traits of being a good leader.” Getting Ahead Of The Curve “One thing which has been very beneficial to me is the idea of learning transferable skills through the means of CCAs. Through CCAs, I have been given different opportunities that I would not have otherwise come across. Some of these include emceeing at large scale events such as DisruptED- an event jointly organised by the Straits Times and SIM; participating in UNLEASH, a global event which saw 1,000 individuals from around the world coming together to develop solutions for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. I also took part in the Singapore Human Resources Institute hackathon.” “Every role that I’ve been involved in has taught me some skill sets. This is so important as a part of holistic education and it gives you a taste of how the workforce operates. Theory knowledge is of course crucial, but things like communication skills or negotiating with vendors is something that one can only learn over time with hands-on experiences.” Ketki (first from right) and her friends with Dr Lee Kwok Cheong, SIM Holdings Chief Executive Officer (second from right). Ketki (second from left in front row) with the SIM Student Representative team. Staying Driven “I often get asked how I am so motivated and self-driven all the time and I think a large part of it has to do with how my parents have raised me up. My dad has always emphasised the importance of education and that working hard will help you reach your goal. On the other hand, my mother has always taught me to remain grounded in spite of the accomplishments. The one quote that sticks by me every morning is what my mother keeps telling me. She always says, “Work hard and let your Lamborghini roar!” It’s funny, but it’s also true - hard work is everything to me at least. “ Posted online, 20 September 2018