2015 Best MBAs: Sourya Datta

Sourya Datta - Pitt-PoetsAndQuants

Sourya Datta

 

University of Pittsburgh, Katz Graduate School of Business

Sourya Datta seemingly didn’t waste a moment at Katz. As a student, he completed two fellowships, working with a pair of Pittsburgh non-profit organizations to enhance their sustainability and build their donor rolls. As a student, he served as vice president of the Operations Club, where he authored two case studies and competed in the International Case Competition. Awarded an academic scholarship, he will be heading to eBay after graduation to work in supply chain management.

Age: 30

Hometown: Kolkata, India

Undergraduate School: Anna University

Undergraduate Degree: Electronics & Communication Engineering

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Tata Consultancy Services Ltd – Consultant and Infosys Technologies Ltd – Analyst

Where did you intern during the summer of 2014? eBay, San Jose, CA

Where will you be working after graduation? eBay – Supply Chain Manager

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I was given a task and was allotted four hours when I could do the same in just two.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…unable to think about the business value of a project.”

What are your long-term professional goals? To implement the formal learning I obtained in the business school in the business world. I would love to be an operations champion who makes processes lean and streamlined. I would also like to be the strategist who comes up with new ideas.

Favorite Courses: Statistics, Strategy, Global Supply Chain Management, B-2-B Marketing, Process Engineering, Finance, and Negotiations

Which academic or professional achievements are you most proud of? I am most proud of leading my Katz teams in various case competitions. Case competitions are a great part of the learning, and I feel honored to have been the leader in a number of case competitions.

Who would you most want to thank for your success (and why)? Dr. Rabi Chatterjee. Without him, I would not be a part of this great school, and I would not have the career that I am planning for.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose this school for a number of reasons. They include: Its emphasis on experience-based learning; small class sizes; the quality of its professors; unique certificate programs; rapid increase in the rankings; and the advantage of being located in Pittsburgh.

What did you enjoy most about business school? The openness and friendliness of the students, staff, and professors have been the most enjoyable thing. The professors and career services team have always helped me whenever I needed it.

What is your most memorable moment from business school? A number of moments are memorable, but I still remember the excitement of joining the program on my first day at school. I am eagerly waiting for the convocation, which will be another memorable day in my life.

Fun fact about yourself: I started a running club at Paramount Pictures and ended up running two marathons in Long Beach, CA.

Favorite book: The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement

Favorite movie: Terminator 2: Judgement Day

Favorite musical performer: A.R. Rahman

Favorite television show: Jeopardy

Favorite vacation spot: Santa Barbara, CA

What are your hobbies? Exercising, running, weight lifting, and swimming

Twitter Handle: @souryadatta

What made Sourya such an invaluable addition to the class of 2015?

“Students wondering how to get the most out of their MBA experience should look no further than the example set by Sourya Datta. He is an excellent student academically and has never missed an opportunity to challenge himself professionally through Katz’s various extracurricular and fellowship opportunities.

For example, Sourya completed two rigorous fellowship programs through our David Berg Center for Ethics in Leadership. In the fellowships, he completed business consulting projects with a social responsibility focus for the nonprofits Sustainable Pittsburgh and South Hills Interfaith Ministries. Although Sourya’s professional focus is in supply chain management, he saw the value in exposing himself to complex issues in ethics and social responsibility.

While Sourya’s leadership was evident in his participation in a number of external case competitions, his leadership qualities shone the brightest in his role as vice president of the school’s Operations Club. He worked with managers at Crane Co. to gather source material for the school’s internal Katz Crane Co. Case Competition. Sourya then proceeded to write the case. He’s also working on writing another case now based on issues at FedEx for a different case competition.

Sourya also possesses that intangible quality of inspiring others to follow his lead. His classmates who, like him, are from international locations have learned a great deal about what it takes to be successful in the U.S. business culture from Sourya. I know that he will do great things in his career once he leaves Katz.”

– Sandra R. Douglas, Director of MBA Programs

Best of 2015

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The Complete List: The 50 Most Exceptional MBAs of 2015

 

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