If I had to describe my SP Jain Global journey in three words, they would be simple: Life’s best chapter. Not because everything went perfectly. It didn’t. But because these four years as a BBA student gave me the chance to meet versions of myself that I didn’t know existed.
If I had to describe my SP Jain Global journey in three words, they would be simple: Life’s best chapter. Not because everything went perfectly. It didn’t. But because these four years as a BBA student gave me the chance to meet versions of myself that I didn’t know existed.
Finding purpose in Singapore, Dubai and Sydney
As a 100% scholarship recipient, Singapore introduced me to the version of myself that cared deeply about community. One of my favourite memories from SP Jain Global will always be travelling to Bali with the Assistant Dean – UG, Professor Golo Weber (the most fun professor ever), and an incredible team to support children in need. We raised funds, worked together, and learned that leadership means very little if it does not improve someone else’s life.
Dubai introduced me to the ‘researcher side’ in me. Under the guidance of the Deputy Director of UG Programs (Dubai), Dr Nitin Patwa (one of the most thoughtful people I have met), I worked with an extraordinary team to eventually publish my first research paper on sustainability. I discovered how much I enjoyed debating sustainability issues.
That journey began with another research project that remains especially close to my heart. My finance research paper in Singapore was ranked among the top 3% in my batch, not because of the ranking, but because it was the first paper I wrote under the guidance of our Professor of IT, Dr Shalini Chandra, an extraordinary woman, alongside what I still consider one of the best RIP (Regional Immersion Project) teams I have worked with. As 17 and 18-year-olds, we were interviewing Vice Presidents and senior professionals from global firms like JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and Citibank to understand behavioural finance and decision-making. Looking back, that experience gave me confidence I did not know I needed and inspired me to continue researching in Dubai.
During the final stage of my BBA journey, Sydney introduced me to almost everything else. My adventurous side. My creative side. My finance side.
This was where I pushed my limits the hardest. I completed my CFA Level I, worked on investment research, drove eight to ten hours with my favourite people to discover hidden beaches and small towns, watched sunrises that made stressful weeks feel insignificant, and somehow found time to write and publish a book. I also ate some of the best red sauce pasta of my life, which feels equally important to mention.
What leadership really means
When people ask me how EcoYouth shaped my perspective on leadership, I think the answer is that it taught me leadership exists everywhere.
It started with leading community initiatives and coordinating teams across countries. Then it became all about managing research projects. Then helping friends organise travel plans and logistics. And now, as I think about building my business, I realise leadership was never a title. It was a habit that SP Jain Global helped me develop over time, especially through storytelling.
Why storytelling matters
Jacob Salem once said, “Storytelling is the language of influence. Facts inform, but stories transform.”
I believe that deeply. Storytelling has helped me connect with professors, mentors, friends, and peers in ways that grades and achievements never could.
My book, ‘The Mirage of Equality’, is perhaps the best example of that.
SP Jain Global’s courses across business, sustainability, ethics, technology, and global systems pushed me to think beyond textbooks. Conversations with classmates from different countries challenged my assumptions about fairness, opportunity, and equality. Slowly, those ideas turned into the ‘Mirage of Equality’ book which follows three friends navigating friendship, betrayal, and secrets that could reshape not only their future, but ours. At its heart, it asks a question that continues to fascinate me:
“Can science be our salvation, or will our own prejudices ultimately tear us apart?”
People often ask how I balanced academics, leadership roles, internships, research, writing, and everything else. The honest answer is that I didn’t do it alone. SP Jain Global gave me many things, but perhaps the greatest gift was my people.
The people who made it all possible
Every girl deserves a girl gang that stands beside her no matter what. Every girl deserves male friends who become like brothers.
My friends were there through community projects, research deadlines, internships, book drafts, road trips, presentations, celebrations, and all the ordinary moments in between. They helped me find balance long before I understood what balance meant.
The saying is true - “Your network is your net worth.”
The BBA program at SP Jain Global pushed my limits. It strengthened my leadership skills. It nurtured my entrepreneurial spirit. It gave me friendships I will carry for life.
Looking back at my BBA journey
If there is one colour I associate with my journey, it is pink. 🩷 Often mistaken for softness, pink, to me, represents courage, warmth, ambition, and creativity; the qualities that shaped my years across Singapore, Dubai, and Sydney.
When I look back, the lesson I value most is not about grades or financial models. It is much simpler: kindness and consistency can take you almost anywhere in this world.
For that lesson, and for the people who taught it to me, I will always be grateful to SP Jain Global, my professors, and my friends.
SP Jain is not just any university experience.
It is life’s best chapter 🌟💫
About the author
Divyanshi Agarwal was a part of our BBA which graduated in April 2026. She is currently working as Financial Mentee at Blackwattle Investment Partners.
Learn more about Divyanshi’s book here: https://shorturl.at/Le0ey
Recommended reads:
A BBA student’s journey of growth and leadership
From classrooms to the real world – My internship journey with the BBA program
