Tamjeed Sayeed Kashem, Rochester Simon MBA Class of 2024
Age: 30
Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka – BBA in Finance
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 5.5 years in the consumer packaged goods industry; 1.5 years in the B2B technology industry working for an AI startup
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
Rapid change in technology and globalization over the past decade have swept businesses off to new frontiers, and I want to be able to surf this wave with the right exposure to world-class academics and networks. Having seen firsthand how the lack of equitable access to technology and finance holds companies in developing economies like that of Bangladesh, my home country, from serving a low-income majority, I aspired to help international markets and resources become more accessible all the while sustaining bottom line for companies. After working for seven years, I realized it was time to fulfill this wish and accelerate my career growth beyond the confines of my national borders. Being an international candidate, I wanted to explore a career in the US and build my experience and network working for a global top company. And emerging out of a travel-less pandemic, the time felt just right for me to attend business school.
Why did you choose Rochester Simon? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
The two main features that stood out are Simon’s focus on analytics through its highly ranked STEM-designated program, as well as its relatively small class size with a high percentage of international students. As an international student coming from the very dense city-life in Dhaka, Bangladesh, I also wanted the benefit of the New York network while honing in on my skills and academics in a smaller-city setting—combining all of these, choosing Rochester as my MBA destination became a no-brainer.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2024?
As a corporate finance manager, I’ve always sought to understand how companies operate in different business life cycles, contexts, and market power settings. For that, I gained experience working in various finance roles for companies ranging from 3 to 70 years old in both the consumer-packaged goods and tech industries. This has given me a unique financial perspective of which strategies succeed and which don’t across diverse business contexts and in frontier markets. I hope to bring this unique perspective and enrich the classroom conversation of the MBA Class of 2024.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I have memorized, word for word, the full monologue of the protagonist “V” from the “V for Vendetta” graphic novel, where V uses only words starting with the letter v! And, yes, I am a huge fan of the power of graphic novels to inspire younger generations to give back and affect change, just as it has inspired me.
Post-MBA career interests:
I wish to explore a career in strategy and pricing with a view toward entrepreneurship in the long run.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I would reach out to admissions and network with more current students and alumni, barring all inhibitions. This ultimately led me to choose my program of choice over simply researching online, since live interactions helped me decide whether the community was a good fit for my personality and goals. These types of conversations also make it easier to write compelling essays, an important component of the application process that often gets overshadowed by GPA and standardized test scores.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I wish I started the admissions process earlier by getting my standardized exams out of the way, making more room for reaching out and networking. Applying sooner rather than later would have also helped me in dealing with my impostor syndrome.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Starting later in the application cycle! Signing up for events and keeping a neat calendar of the deadlines helped me get through it as much as possible.
What is your initial impression of the Rochester Simon students/culture/community?
Supportive, humble and talented—these three words summarize my initial impression of the community, and it is continuing to hold true!
What is one thing you have learned about Rochester Simon that has surprised you?
Having never traveled to Rochester before attending Simon, I really didn’t know what to expect in terms of how the place physically looked, but I couldn’t have been more surprised by how picturesque the campus is! It is absolutely gorgeous, and I fall in love with it every day!
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Honestly, starting classes again after a seven-year career! Courses at Simon are no joke, and I’m anxious about managing the time and effort needed to excel. However, it helps that the Simon community is supportive and welcoming.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Building a community of students from over twenty countries! I have never felt this excited by the network I am creating with individuals of varying backgrounds and cultures. Moments of connection remind me that we are, in truth, just one big global community faced with the same problems of our times and fueled by the same hopes about the future!
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your personal application or admissions process in any way? If so, how?
I deferred applying by one more year because of the problems the pandemic posed on me personally, both logistically and financially. Amidst the uncertainty, I decided to reapply a year later than I had originally planned to attend.
