Raywa Ravipati
FTMBA '24
Hometown: Hyderabad
Home State: Telangana
Home Country: India
Undergraduate Institution: Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management
Undergraduate Degree and Major (and minor, if applicable): Computer Science Engineering
Pre-MBA Company: Allegro Specialty Chemicals
Pre-MBA Title: Strategic Sourcing and Ops Manager
Desired industry post-MBA: Consulting
Desired job function post-MBA: Consultant
Degree Concentrations:
- Operations & Supply Chain Management
- Strategic Management
Student Organization Membership:
- Arts Club
- Consulting Association
- The Adam Smith Society
- Technology Association
- Forte
What has been the most surprising part of your Rice MBA experience?
The most surprising part of my MBA is that people have different cultures and manner of speaking but relationships and feelings are the same across the globe.
What has been your favorite thing about your MBA experience so far?
My most and least favorite thing about the MBA is the same one – to have been so promptly and swiftly thrown out of my comfort zone. The resources Rice offers help to an extent, but it is a journey that one has to take alone. But, having good classmates has helped me get through this process and understand that at the end of the day things sometimes work out and sometimes they don't. I t is important to put in the effort and keep our mind at ease. The last semester has been a very important personal development journey for me.
What do you love most about Houston?
I love the weather ( yes, even the summer) because it is so similar to my hometown that it emphasizes the feeling of 'home' for me, especially when I was new to this country and city. Also, being a huge food enthusiast, I love the types of food I was able to experience here, especially some of the 'soul' food as my friends in Rice called it when they first introduced me .
What is one piece of advice you would share with a prospective student – one sentence?
I would ask them to evaluate their post- MBA goals and understand whether the school they choose offers resources for these goals and if it is the correct fit for the industry they are from or choose to go into.