By Rohan Misra, Commerce Council President, Rising Fourth-Year, Finance & Management, and Government
When I first arrived at UVA, I thought getting into McIntire meant joining the right clubs, building the perfect resume, and checking every box. Four years later, I’ve realized the most meaningful parts of the experience had very little to do with any of those things.
Find people who invest in you, and become one of them.
What truly amazed me about McIntire is its culture of paying it forward. Before I was even a student, upperclassmen invested countless hours in helping anyone who wanted advice, whether through resume workshops, recruiting guidance, or simply answering questions. They weren’t required to do any of it. They did it because someone had once done the same for them.
As a first-year student, I became involved with Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, and SEED Consulting. More than anything, those experiences helped me find a community that challenged me, supported me, and helped me grow both personally and professionally. Many of the friendships and mentors I value most started there.
Such mentorship did not come exclusively from my club experience either. Some of the most meaningful conversations I’ve had happened over coffee with someone just a few years ahead of me. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give, it’s this: Ask for that coffee. One conversation can change how you see yourself. And one day, you’ll have the chance to do the same for someone else.
Go beyond the walls of the business school.
The strongest application isn’t necessarily the one with the most business clubs. It’s the one that tells an authentic story about who you are and what motivates you. For me, that meant pursuing Government alongside Commerce. Looking back, I’m grateful I didn’t feel pressured to fit into a single “business student” mold.
Beyond McIntire, I became involved in VISAS and co-founded the Technology Strategy Group. Those experiences introduced me to new perspectives, lifelong friendships, and the reminder that no single interest should define who you are.
Understand what “Commerce is for the Common Good” actually means.
This one is the most important from my perspective. That phrase isn’t just something printed on a wall. It reflects what the School actually cares about: what you do with your education once you leave.
Serving as Commerce Council President showed me that the skills developed at McIntire extend far beyond a career path. They become tools for creating meaningful impact in the broader community.
You don’t need to hold a leadership title to live this value. It can be as simple as helping a first-year student prepare for an interview, sharing notes with a classmate, mentoring someone applying to McIntire, or introducing two people who should know each other. “Commerce for the Common Good” isn’t about having the biggest platform; it’s about making someone else’s path a little easier than yours was.
Whether your path leads to consulting, banking, finance, public service, or entrepreneurship, the more important question is what kind of impact you want your degree to have. UVA and the McIntire community provide the space to explore that question, reflect on your values, and begin shaping the kind of contribution you hope to make.
It’s easy to compare yourself to others. Some students hit the ground running, while others take longer to find their place. Some join many organizations, while others invest deeply in just one. Neither approach is right nor wrong.
No application result, internship, or single decision defines you. Trust the process, stay curious, and don’t spend four years trying to follow someone else’s path. Instead, invest in the people around you, and let them invest in you. Years from now, you probably won’t remember every recruiting event, but you’ll remember the people who believed in you and the opportunities you had to do the same for someone else.
That’s what made McIntire meaningful for me.
