Vedika Rupee was 13 years old when her family moved to the United States from Guyana. “My upbringing in Guyana was different from the life here,” she remembered. “Transitioning from the metric system and learning the imperial system was just one of many things I had to learn!” And though her focus wasn’t initially on college, she would later go on to earn not one, but three degrees from Berkeley College.

Vedika was one of many to be selected for the early bird Summer Semester at Berkeley College in 2011. This meant starting college one week after high school graduation. “It was challenging at first, but the professors, advisors, and staff guided me when I felt unsure of myself.”

Never stop learning

After earning her Associate’s degree in Administration, she discovered her passion for marketing and wanted to explore a career. She returned to Berkeley and met Professor Mary Wagner, who would greatly influence her. “I loved every aspect of the way she taught. She was tough, but she taught me to be accountable and pushed me because she knew I was capable of more.”

Moving up in the corporate world

Vedika earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Communications in December of 2015. With the assistance of the Berkeley College Career Services department, she was offered a position as a receptionist in the marketing solution industry and quickly began to rise up through the ranks with promotions to Project Manager to Account Manager to Exhibit Sales Consultant all within her first four years with the company and developing a love for tradeshow marketing.

An amazing graduate experience

With her sights now set on a graduate degree, Vedika began the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in Management at Berkeley. “I respected my professors, and their teaching styles. They treated us like colleagues; at times, we were learning without even realizing we were learning!”

Vedika RupeeUnderstanding international business and culture

A highlight for Vedika was the experience of the M.B.A. Global Immersion Program within her M.B.A. studies. “After working to maintain a high GPA, it was an honor to be selected for the M.B.A. Global Immersion Program, she noted. “We met many interesting individuals and made a lot of great connections. We really gained a much better understanding of the way international organizations work and even developed an appreciation of things like business etiquette.”

A bright future ahead

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vedika took on a new entry-level position with a finance company, and now she’s has worked her way to up to a senior-level position. New skills and experiences have taught her to keep her options open as she thinks about her future. “COVID was definitely a wake-up call,” said Vedika. “It helped me figure out a work/life balance and think about my future.” She’s now engaged and with the help of her fiancé, they hope to open a marketing and design agency within the next few years. She offered some advice for those pondering their futures, “Do what you feel is right and even if it doesn’t turn out as expected, it will lead you in the right direction; mistakes are okay. That’s how you learn.”

The views and/or opinions in this article are those of the individuals interviewed. The academic achievements and/or employment outcomes described in this article are specific to each individual and are not a guarantee of similar results for past or current students. For up-to-date and detailed information, please visit BerkeleyCollege.edu and view our catalogs at BerkeleyCollege.edu/publications. 

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