Prinka Kumari began her career as a relationship associate at Askari Bank in her native Pakistan, but her calling was to work in finance business management. Her older brother had earned a master’s from Georgia State’s Robinson College of Business, so she applied to the same school and moved to the United States upon acceptance.
Robinson’s M.S. in Quantitative Risk Analysis & Management program caught Kumari’s attention.
“I majored in finance for undergrad but didn’t have any technical or programming skills,” she said.
Kumari asked her family for a loan to cover grad school’s initial costs and also was awarded a graduate assistantship, which included a monthly stipend to offset expenses.
The practical skills Kumari built and mentorship she received at Robinson shaped her career. An intense course she took with Stephen Shore especially stands out.
“He’s an exceptional teacher and has in-depth knowledge of the material,” she said. “His ability to clearly and simply explain complex concepts sets him apart.”
Kumari landed a prestigious complex securities internship at Big Four accounting firm EY towards the end of her studies in June 2022. She explained the internship this way: the point was to figure out how much something was worth, but instead of assets like houses or cars, she determined the value of complex financial holdings and investments. Kumari graduated in December 2022 and joined EY full-time as a quantitative finance and economics associate the following month.
Initially on an F1 visa, Kumari secured her H-1B visa through EY’s sponsorship, allowing her to work in the United States for up to three years.
Now, Kumari is setting her sights on the future.
“I definitely want to stay in the U.S. and grow my career here,” she said.