An international student's home away from home

Akanksha Mohla traveled halfway around the world to find her second home. From India to Mill Avenue to a successful career she launched at Mattel, learn more about Akanksha's journey to the U.S. and the W. P. Carey School.

“Four hours from Vegas and six hours from LA!!” is how I remember ecstatically introducing Tempe to my family and friends upon learning that I had been admitted to Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business. And I clearly remember the reactions I got...

“Wow, she’s so close to Hollywood,” my friends thought with envy as they congratulated me.

“Oh no, she’s so close to Vegas,” my grandmother thought as she saw me gleefully pack my tank tops and hot pants.

But there was a lot more to Tempe’s strategic location on the best coast...I mean West coast that had me so pumped: a “happening” college town with a young population, easy access to the state’s commercial capital city of Phoenix, proximity to the airport, and the promise of a bright new future. Little did I know that this was just the tip of the iceberg (no pun intended).

Yes, Mill Avenue was as fun as I had thought, the light rail as convenient as Metro Rail’s website promised, the airport only 20 bucks away by cab as google promised — but it was really my program, the people I met, and the opportunities on campus that were beyond my wildest expectations. Together, they made moving halfway around the world pursuing my dream the best move I could possibly make.

Let me start with the Full-time MBA program. It is common knowledge that the MBA supply chain program is so highly ranked, but what is perhaps not so commonly known is how holistic the supply chain education is. The W. P. Carey faculty is committed to helping new students find their niche and develop it, but not in isolation. So if you love logistics, that’s great, but you’re still not getting by unless you see how it’s connected to after-sales support. And finance. And R&D. And international affairs. And technology. It’s all about the big picture. The program is very demanding (like a couple-months-worth-all-nighters demanding), yet you can’t help but admit that it’s very fascinating.

The people you meet at W. P. Carey also help the transition to the U.S. go much more smoothly. Whether it's the staff, the faculty, the Career Services team, or my classmates, I remember thinking to myself, "The people in Arizona are as warm as the weather!" Not only did I have an assigned mentor who helped me with tips and advice while I was still in India, but upon arrival in Tempe, there were so many events and info sessions for international students like me that helped everything come into focus. I still clearly remember the first week of orientation when I met my classmates; I was delighted to find out that two of my classmates were from the same city back home! And to add to the fun, my first trip to an Indian restaurant in Tempe was with my new American friends who love Indian food and insisted I check it out. We still reminisce about those days (usually at a Starbucks on campus in between classes).

Finally, the joy and pride of being a Sun Devil goes beyond words. Back in India, cricket was my religion and I was worried about the void that my MBA transition had caused in my life. But then on September 5, 2013 the Gods of Sports smiled upon me and gave me the gift of American football. Since then, there’s been no looking back — I've followed every ASU football game, researched every player and filled my wardrobe with game day gear (i.e. gold and maroon tank tops and hot pants...sorry, Nana). Over the last year, I have also grown to appreciate basketball, gymnastics, and track and field sports, and there's still many more to learn about.

As I look back, I cannot believe how much I’ve learned and lived in the last 18 months here at ASU. Best phase of my life so far? Hell yeah! I don’t know what the future has in store for me, but I do know that I am a Sun Devil and W. P. Carey grad for life and will do whatever it takes to make my school proud.