UIC Business Students Sahil Tripurana and Jennifer Hernández Will Deliver Remarks During the Spring 2023 Commencement Ceremony

UIC Business recently embarked on a college-wide search for the next undergraduate and graduate Commencement student speakers. After much deliberation, Sahil Tripurana, BS IDS ’23, and Jennifer Hernández, MBA ’23, will deliver one-of-a-kind speeches to their fellow graduates during the upcoming ceremony on May 5. “The quality of the speeches we received made selecting this year’s student speakers a difficult choice. Ultimately, Sahil and Jennifer were chosen because their words moved the selection committee the most, and graduates will feel inspired by their words of wisdom. The Class of 2023 is going to thoroughly enjoy these speeches,” said Joey Maman, Lead Academic Advisor, Student Involvement. Get to know Sahil and Jennifer in the sections below.

Sahil Tripurana is a senior, undergraduate student studying Information and Decision Sciences. His interest in Information Technology started when he created his first website in 2018. To create a friendlier user experience, he incorporated data analytics. He further explored analytics by interning at CDW in product management. He also customized the Salesforce application specifically for internal users. Sahil aspires to work in the data science field, and possibly use AI language models. In his spare time, he enjoys playing chess and watching films.

Why did you choose to attend UIC and major in IDS?
I chose to attend UIC because of the diversity and growth. Especially, when it comes to its student population and class curriculums. The university is on the cutting edge of research and development as well. As an aspiring data scientist in IDS, I wanted to leverage the facilities and faculty.

Which course(s) had the greatest impact on your time as an undergraduate student? Why?

The course with the greatest impact on me has to be MGMT 495: Competitive Strategy. I really value open discussions and professors with a great sense of communication. It allows me to flesh out complex ideas and bounce them off other students. Collaborative environments like this keep me motivated.

What’s next for your career?

I look at my career as a marathon and not a sprint. The next two years will be focused on developing a strong knowledge base in data science. I will be pursuing a graduate program to get my master’s degree in data analytics as well. I want to make sure I am as prepared as possible, before entering the workforce.

Looking back on your time at UIC, which memories bring you the most joy?

There are flagship moments throughout my time at UIC that I will certainly miss when I graduate. Moments like watching the World Cup with the campus at Inner Circle, or performing my poetry at open mics, bring me the most joy. Any moment that includes my friends or some sort of creative expression, is a moment that I will cherish.

What kind of impact do you want your Commencement speech to have on other graduates?

The goal of my Commencement speech is to motivate graduates to take their next step. Whatever it may be, I want to instill in them a feeling of courage to take on their next task without any doubt. I also want to make my fellow graduates feel proud and accomplished of what they’ve done so far. It has been a long journey, but the best is yet to come.

Jennifer Hernández is a graduate student receiving her MBA with concentrations in Finance and Human Resource Management. Jennifer’s interest in her concentrations stemmed from previous employment experiences working as a human resource generalist in diversity and inclusion; along with her interest in finance while doing financial reconciliations. She has 10+ years of work experience in non for profit, for profit, and higher education. Jennifer loves to learn, and is always willing to understand a new skill and software. Jennifer’s favorite leisure activities include going to the zoo with her daughter Natalia, cooking new recipes, and experiencing new adventures while traveling.

What inspired you to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree at UIC?

I did not have an undergraduate business school background and wanted to expose myself to the concepts and material to better understand the business market, along with enhancing teamwork and leadership skills throughout the program.

Which course(s) had the greatest impact on your time as a graduate student? Why?

Finance 510 Investments helped me to learn financial decision making from an investor perspective while learning how to create portfolios. Management 564 Negotiations it helped me work on my negotiations skills and how to have an effective communication parties involved need to know what they are willing to compromise with and what they are willing to walk away from

Looking back on your time at UIC, which memories bring you the most joy?

Being able to work in group projects and how everyone has different skills they can bring to the group. Many times, learning new things in the process and creating friendships with classmates and professors.

What kind of impact do you want your Commencement speech to have on other graduates?

I would like graduates to know that UIC is a diverse institution and support system that offers many resources that will help you feel welcomed and supported. That support system will help you develop friendships and opportunities for growth, while getting to know more of your classmates, cultures, and traditions from around the world!

Congratulations, Sahil and Jennifer! For more information about the spring 2023 Commencement Ceremony, please visit Business Connect.