Sameen Faruqi

Home Country: United States

Home State: TX

Undergraduate Institution: The University of Texas at Austin

Undergraduate Degree and Major (and minor, if applicable): BBA, Management Information Systems

Pre-MBA Industry: Technology Audit Consulting

Pre-MBA Company: Protiviti

Pre-MBA Title: Senior Consultant

Desired industry post-MBA: Energy, Consulting

Desired job function post-MBA: Consulting, Strategy

Degree Concentrations: Energy

Student Organization Membership: Finance Association, Rice Business Women's Organization

What has been the most surprising part of your Rice MBA? The most surprising part of my Rice MBA experience is the community. Everyone has been very supportive, helpful, and kind to one another. I love that so many people are willing to offer help and even a kind word of advice, across classes, recruiting activities, networking, other events, etc. I can tell that Rice's community and network is going to be a privilege to be apart of in my future career as well post-MBA.

What has been your favorite thing about your MBA experience? My favorite thing about my MBA experience has been getting to be a student again in the classroom. This is something I missed while working, and I'm glad that I get to experience it again to pursue my MBA. I'm especially excited about the large variety of electives offered to us that we're able to take in our second year, and I look forward to aligning my interests and career goals with the electives provided. I truly believe that there is something for everyone here - with the wide range of options offered, I know that prospective students will be able to find courses that fit their interests, career goals, etc.

What do you love most about Houston? I truly believe that Houston is one of the most underrated cities. My favorite thing about Houston is the culture and food scene. Houston is such a diverse city and I love knowing people from a variety of different cultures. The food scene definitely reflects this diversity, and I love getting to experience different cultures through their food. Houston definitely has no shortage of good food!

What is one piece of advice you would share with a prospective? Talk to a wide variety of people/students when making your decision, so you can get different viewpoints and ultimately make the best decision for yourself.