Stefy Anna Aniyan

How did you hear about the Business School and why did you choose to study here?

I’d initially heard about Leeds University Business School whilst applying for my undergrad; however, circumstances dictated me to choose another university for my undergrad. So when I considered places for my postgrad, Leeds was already at the top of my list. When you consider that Leeds is triple-accredited and a Russell group university, applying here was a no-brainer.

What is the best part of your studies? What are you enjoying the most?

Personally, I’m someone who was not made for a monotonous job. The dynamic of my course, from dealing with data to exploring psychological biases, requires you to think outside the predetermined school of thought. The professors/lecturers are members of the University’s Centre of Decision Research (which is one of the first of its kind in the country).

From personal experience, the one thing that I’ve noticed in Leeds that must be commended is the enthusiasm shown by lecturers to help a student, regardless of whether or not that student was part of their module. The best part of my studies is the flexibility it allows to delve into a field of your choice, as well as the flexibility it allows to take up extra-curricular activities without a great deal of stress/risk of poor academic performance.

What are your career aspirations? Do you think the experience and skills you will gain on your course will help you in your future career plans? In what way?

Having previously completed a triple honours degree, I want to move into the field of investments, and, in time, to become an entrepreneur. Every module has a takeaway skill, through the course, I learnt to deal with data, to process, impute, to forecast, to code, to create models and to visualise/present data. I learnt more about heuristics and biases investors make in a risk-driven environment, in a time-pressured environment, and the implications of limited cognitive capacity on decision making. Knowledge of predictable biases gives you an advantage in the market, as you are better able to identify them, and thus, avoid them as much as possible to ensure optimal and rational decision making.

Do you have any noteworthy achievements from your study at the Business School that you can tell us about eg prizes, highest scores etc?

I did commendably well for my semester exams in January, securing the highest marks in some of my exams amongst the entire cohort. I hope to continue this level in my finals later this year. As I’m also preparing for my CAIA exams along with my MSc, I hve to prioritize and balance my curricular and extra-curricular activities to ensure that I’m productive in both aspects.

I also applied for and was appointed the Postgraduate School Representative for the Management and HR division, which gave me the opportunity to not only network with high ranking individuals from the university, but I was also able to contribute feedback at FEG meetings, SSF, FTSEC meetings etc. I was able to dedicate a great deal of time to ensuring the betterment of student welfare.

What is your impression/experience of the facilities, the staff, your peers, the student union, the City of Leeds and the Yorkshire region?

Leeds has an incredible range of facilities, dedicated and enthusiastic staff, unparalleled Student Union and a well-knit campus. The university continuously strives to maximise student experience and I can’t emphasise the importance of such a perspective for the success of an educational institution.

What would you say your defining memory of studying here was? (eg friendships made, confidence in your abilities, or any single event that you will always remember?)

I’d definitely say a defining memory is the number of friends I’ve made. I met people from different cultures and backgrounds; I had the opportunity to learn so much from them, from differing perspectives to even learning a new language!

Would you recommend the Business School to others who are considering studying here?

I can honestly say that I will recommend studying at Leeds University Business School to anyone who is considering their masters in the UK. It has been, hands down, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m sure they’ll thank me for it later!