She completed her academic journey this week, graduating with a Master of Business and Management at a special ceremony held for international graduands before they return home.
“When I came across the Master of Business and Management (MBM) programme in the prospectus, it instantly resonated with me. The course structure aligned perfectly with my goals and interests and, after further exploration, I realised the University of Waikato was a place where I could grow both academically and personally,” says Ishita.
Ishita received the Vice Chancellor's International Excellence Scholarship for India which contributed to her studies at Waikato. She says the MBM has helped to deepen her understanding of business operations, strategy and management, and recalls highlights such as developing, refining and pitching a business idea in a Dragon’s Den competition as a part of her course.
She plans to use the skills she has learnt through these projects in roles within established organisations while she gains hands-on business experience. Long term, she aspires to put the knowledge gained through her studies into practice and start her own company, following in her father’s footsteps.
“My goal with this degree is to first immerse myself in the industry, gain hands-on experience and understand the business landscape. Entrepreneurship is a long-term aspiration – right now, I am focused on learning and growing within the professional world,” says Ishita.
While studying, she practised her professional skills working as a Promotion Host in the marketing team at SkyCity, which helped her to settle into her new environment.
“Moving to a new country, navigating unfamiliar environments and balancing studies with work taught me resilience, adaptability and the importance of staying open to new experiences. Over time, I found my footing and made meaningful connections,” says Ishita.
“The welcoming environment of Waikato, supportive staff and diverse student community made it easy to feel at home despite being far away from my family.”
Her advice to new students – both international and those pursuing business and management studies – is to take advantage of every opportunity, especially those outside of comfort zones.
“Be yourself, stay open-minded and embrace every opportunity from projects to networking events – they’re invaluable in building your skills and confidence. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or uncertain at times but remember that many students feel the same way. Take that leap, put yourself out there, and give your best effort. Trust that everything will eventually fall into place.”
