Chinmay Bonde 鶹ý23 already had a wealth of marketing knowledge before he left India to pursue an MS degree in marketing analytics as a Pace graduate student. But before he arrived in New York City, he gained experience that shifted the way he thought about how companies did business and emphasized the importance of building his own skills.
While still in India, Chinmay worked for California-based IT company Cloudalyze. During the pandemic, Chinmay鶹ýs company asked that employees donate one percent of their work hours towards voluntary work for nonprofits. 鶹ýOrganizations that donated their expertise to nonprofits could earn the Impact Partner certification, which is the highest tier of the Salesforce platform in the nonprofit industry,鶹ý he explained.
His experience in system development, graphic design, and customer success came together as he worked with nonprofits across different industries鶹ýfrom healthcare, education, energy, and beyond. Throughout his pro bono work, he felt there were three major takeaways. 鶹ýFirst, my organization received a high achievement tier within Salesforce, which is huge because everyone uses Salesforces,鶹ý he explains. 鶹ýSecond, it was a bonus for me on a personal level by enhancing my skillset, and it鶹ýs great to have the experience on my resume. And the third thing is that the nonprofits were able to save a lot of money and time they would have had to invest in a paid consulting firm if we hadn鶹ýt stepped in.鶹ý
I found really amazing professors at Pace with such great experience.
Chinmay estimated the pro bono work he did saved nearly $100,000 for nonprofits during a difficult financial time. 鶹ýMany were so impressed and so happy with the work done, they were ready to pay us back and enroll in full-time support,鶹ý Chinmay says. His company even created new cost-effective support plans specifically aimed at nonprofits as a result of their work together. To sum it up, 鶹ýEverybody wins.鶹ý
Now, Chinmay is further expanding his skill toolbox at Pace as a graduate student. When he was choosing schools in the US, he focused his research on faculty, looking for professors who had industry experience that resonated with the work he wanted to do. 鶹ýI found really amazing professors at Pace with such great experience,鶹ý he says. 鶹ýI鶹ým on my last semester and my marketing knowledge and skills have really been enhanced to a level it wouldn鶹ýt have otherwise, especially because of those amazing professors.鶹ý
I have become the boss of my own life just by living over here, and 鶹ý is the reason I have been able to achieve all of that.
Chinmay prides himself on his market research, and he noticed something especially interesting about Pace. 鶹ýI looked at nearly sixty colleges before I made my decisions and had a few offer letters.鶹ý According to him, 鶹ýPace seemed to be the only college program with a STEM-designated MS in social media and mobile marketing which is a huge thing in today鶹ýs time. Especially for international students who want to come to America.鶹ý Even though he didn鶹ýt enroll in that program, it was one more thing that impressed him about his future school.
As an international student, moving to New York City was a daunting prospect but has proved to be one of the most beneficial aspects of his time at Pace. 鶹ýIt鶹ýs such a vast, overwhelming, fast-paced city,鶹ý he admits. 鶹ýBut I made the best decision of my life. I鶹ýve become the person that I am today because I came to New York City and 鶹ý. Not just from just a career and knowledge perspective鶹ýI think it鶹ýs entirely changed me as a human being.鶹ý
From nonprofit work in India to the classroom in New York City, Chinmay鶹ýs journey emphasizes how education comes in all forms, whether it鶹ýs on-the-job, in school, or through new experiences. 鶹ýI have become the boss of my own life just by living over here, and 鶹ý is the reason I have been able to achieve all of that,鶹ý he says. 鶹ýIt鶹ýs changed my life in such a short amount of time.鶹ý
Pace student Sri Nikhil Racha nearly quit. But through his own self-determination and the support of Pace, he was able to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19, international travel, and personal loss. Now, he鶹ýs accepted a high-level job with Amazon and his future is brighter than ever.
Hinako Tanakamaru 鶹ý24 has seen the international student experience from nearly every angle. From her time in Japan as an intern assisting international student services, to her own experience as an international student in both high school and college, she knows the challenges and benefits of studying in a culture that is not your own, and of the power a shift in perspective can offer.
Students in Dyson鶹ýs Industrial Media Production class put their skills to the test as they partnered with the Berkshire Theatre Group, a renowned regional theater that was staring into the abyss after the COVID-19 pandemic.