For the past two and a half semesters, Tarun Garg has been completing his McIntire coursework like many students: online.
Unlike most third- or fourth-year Comm students, he’s been attending classes from his home in Agra, India.
He’s kept his roots to his home country close, having interned at EY-Parthenon’s Transaction Advisory Services Group in New Delhi, and also served as an Investment Banking Intern with Credit Suisse in their Mumbai office.
Since those seemingly freewheeling pre-pandemic times, things have become justifiably more restricted the world over. Understandably, the Finance and Accounting concentrator says that he’s looking forward to the day when he can catch up with his friends and family in person.
“Zoom and FaceTime only go so far to make up for the lack of daily interaction!” Garg says.
The stress of long-distance learning has been difficult for many, especially when reminiscences of time on Grounds remain so clear and part of the just-recent past. Garg fondly recalls the moments following his block’s Integrated Core Experience presentation, when they celebrated at the since-closed Mexican restaurant Armando’s.
“I remember that we had dedicated a lot of time and effort into our final presentations, and we all were very proud of each other’s accomplishments. To relax and have fun with your work colleagues outside of work as friends is an amazing feeling. The Lighting of the Lawn ceremony on that evening made the experience even more memorable!”
Garg will continue looking firmly into a bright future. He’ll be applying the knowledge he cultivated while pursuing his double-major in Statistics with an Econometrics concentration, along with his Commerce degree, as a full-time Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse’s New York office in their Equity Capital Markets group.
Outside of his professional experience, he’s been a presence at the University, having been Executive Vice President for the Virginia Consulting Group and a member of the investing organization Global Markets Group, and currently serving as a Program Director for CASH, Madison House’s tax assistance program. No less impressive, while balancing all of those responsibilities, he was also a Teaching Assistant for five prerequisite classes at the Commerce School.
We recently asked Garg about what led him to McIntire, what made the greatest difference in his education as he earned his B.S. in Commerce degree, and what aspect of his education will help him transition to professional life as a Banking Analyst.
What led you to apply to McIntire? What most appealed to you about it?
Hailing from a business family, I was always interested in the world of commerce. My dad runs a retail shop in India that sells a large variety of kitchen and home appliances. I grew up listening to the conversations he would have with his business partners, suppliers, customers, etc. So, naturally, I was interested in business. When I came to UVA and attended McIntire’s information session, I realized how drastically different business landscapes look like across the nations, and how technology and globalization are constantly disrupting businesses. Wanting to look at global commerce in an academic setting, but also be able to apply those concepts in real-life team projects, I quickly found out that McIntire would be a perfect fit for me!
What Comm School course, professor, or educational experience has made the greatest impact on you?
I think Foundations of Global Commerce with Professor Peter Maillet has had the most impact on me. I met some of the smartest people I have come across at UVA in that class. I benefited from listening to a variety of different perspectives in that class and contributed my own as an international student from India. I loved how Professor Maillet is so good at prompting students to go beyond base-level thinking and apply in-class concepts to current world events. As I start my professional life after college, I believe I will carry a lot of lessons from that class with me. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is interested in analyzing the intersection of commerce, politics, technology, and science in a global context.
What’s one lesson that you’ve learned at the Comm School that has helped you navigate your professional future?
I think one big lesson I have learned at the Comm School is being honest and straightforward with your colleagues. A lot of times, I would find myself overwhelmed with schoolwork and other activities, and not being able to focus on a task. I found out that I was able to make my day much more efficient by communicating my schedule and workload to my teammates in advance. I think this lesson will come in handy when I start my job in investment banking. I believe that having the ability to communicate and coordinate with your colleagues about work schedules and bandwidth is an important skill to have!
