Two seniors from the University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration have been named to the “Best & Brightest Business Majors of 2021” report by Poets&Quants, a national online publication focused on business schools.
The honor roll recognizes the top 100 members of the Class of 2021 from elite business schools. According to Poets&Quants, students are selected on the basis of being “role models who embody the spirit of their school, demonstrate the possibilities, and set the standard for classes to follow.”
This year’s Pitt Business recipients are Rohil Chada and Katie Gerber.
“Rohil and Katie have taken advantage of everything our program has to offer and I am very proud to see that they are being recognized among the nation’s best and brightest business students,” says Lawrence Feick, Interim Associate Dean of Pitt Business. “I have no doubt that they will accomplish great things and make a lasting impact in the business world.”
Chada, who is from Hillsborough, N.J., is highly involved in extracurricular activities. He has served as the Vice President of Corporate Relations for the League of Emerging Analytics Professionals, Director of Professional Development for the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Fraternity, Senior Analyst for the Socially Responsible Investment Portfolio, and Sector Head of Panther Equity.
With Pitt Business being a mirror of a real-world work environment, Chada believes that the unwritten importance of communication is priceless. His advice for students looking to major in business would be to anticipate working with others and bringing a unique skillset to the table that compliments how to communicate effectively.
“Rohil’s intellectual curiosity and is his drive to deeply explore the newest business topics – such as the impact of advanced analytics and AI on the business world – is contagious and makes it fun to work with him,” says Andrew W. Hannah, Adjunct Professor and Executive-In-Residence at Pitt Business. “What is equally remarkable about Rohil is his passion to help and mentor younger students so that they can have rich experiences at the University of Pittsburgh.”
At the top of Chada’s professional bucket list, he hopes to become the CEO of a tech-oriented company and launch at least one company in his lifetime. After graduation, Chada will be working as a Solutions Engineering Analyst at Deloitte in Pittsburgh.
Read Rohil Chada’s full interview with Poets&Quants.
Gerber, who is from Fairview, PA, is a founder of Pitt’s chapter of Smart Woman Securities—a national organization that focuses on financial literacy and investment education for undergraduate women. She is the former President and current Sector Analyst for the organization, and a member of the Phi Beta Lambda Professional Fraternity.
Both inside and outside of the business world, Geber is passionate about creating a strong community of women to support one another in understanding financial responsibilities. In a male-dominated field, the creation of her student organization, Smart Woman Securities, helps to eliminate any intimidation that women face as they enter the finance field.
“Katie’s outstanding academic record illustrates her passion for education,” says Karen Shastri, Clinical Associate Professor of Business Administration. “This characteristic has been further evidenced by planning to complete her undergraduate degree in 3 years, and immediately moving into a master’s program in accounting to meet the 150-credit hour requirement for the CPA certification.”
Gerber plans to check one item off of her professional bucket list by 2022—earning her CPA license. She also hopes to make it to the C-suite of an organization where she can represent women in leadership roles to make thoughtful and effective change. After graduation, Gerber will be working as Audit & Assurance Staff Intern at Deloitte in Pittsburgh and continuing her education at Pitt Business to earn her master’s degree in accounting.