I still remember the day when I checked my inbox to find the School of Management and Entrepreneurship, IIT Jodhpur’s offer letter, and the feeling of joy which I had felt at that very moment. The excitement of being a part of SME’s first-ever batch and the opportunity to pursue a dual degree at GWU made me choose SME, IIT Jodhpur, over other B-schools. Even though my peers and colleagues suggested I go for established and reputed B-schools over SME IITJ, but I had already made up my mind. I was confident about my decision, and after completing two semesters at SME, IITJ, and a semester here at GWU, Washington DC, I am glad that I went ahead with my decision.

Our batch’s entire onboarding process was conducted thanks to COVID and the nationwide lockdown virtually. I was gutted that I could not be physically present at the orientation ceremony on the campus and meet my classmates and the professors. Still, we tried to connect online as much as we all could and tried to lay the foundations of our school.

The first semester at SME was a rollercoaster ride for me. From assignments to guest speaker sessions to club and committee activities, I was occupied throughout the day. Even though the lectures were online, our professors ensured that the classes were highly interactive and exciting. It took some time for me to adjust to this ‘new normal’ mode of study, but after some time, it was smooth sailing. SME has one of the top faculty in the country, and it was a privilege to meet and get mentored by such academicians. I even got a chance to study French from Institute Français en Inde at a subsidized price, especially for the students of IIT Jodhpur. I came to the IIT Jodhpur campus in November 2020 and met my professors and some of my batchmates. It was fun to be back to the student/ hostel life, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the campus.

During my first semester at SME, I had already started with my application process for the MSBA program at GWU, Washington DC. Luckily with the ease of COVID restrictions, I was able to get my F-1 visa appointment and travel to the US in August 2021. After spending five months and completing a semester here at GWU, I can confidently say that the entire experience till now has been nothing short of a huge learning curve for me. Networking is a big deal for chasing internship/full-time opportunities, and I am still learning about it. The facilities provided here to the students are second to none, and the assignments are as relevant as they can get. One of the advantages of living in a thriving, cosmopolitan and political city like DC is that we get a chance to interact and meet students/ people from all over the world coming from different cultures. My Spring semester is starting very soon. I am very excited about the upcoming semester.

All in all, it has been a surreal experience, and I am very thankful to SME IITJ for providing me with this opportunity.

About the Author: Suyash Shrivastava (M20MS063) is pursuing his international dual degree (MBA-Technology from SME IIT Jodhpur and MS in Business Analytics from George Washington University, Washington DC USA). He is currently living in Washington DC.

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