Alumni Profiles

Tesfa Gebreab '08, Ethiopia

Senior Analyst at Goldman Sachs
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, finance concentration
Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics
summa cum laude

Tesfa Gebreab is a senior analyst in the corporate treasury department at Goldman Sachs. His main areas of focus include managing the firm's liquidity and funding with global clearing houses and exchanges as well as managing capital for the firm's asset management and merchant banking divisions. Prior to this, Tesfa served as an analyst in the credit risk management and ratings advisory department. There he was involved in the underwriting of debt instruments across the technology, media, telecommunications, and business services sectors, and managed counterparty risk for the firm's hedge fund clients and Goldman Sachs asset management. Tesfa joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in July 2008, following his graduation from the University of Evansville. He is an active member of the Credit Committee of Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union, a non-profit bank serving the greater New York City area.

"In my day-to-day job, it is essential to have the skills to work with people of diverse cultural backgrounds and to appreciate the diversity of ideas that emerge as a result," Tesfa says. "Often, I am interacting with colleagues in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. I believe the diverse international student body at UE and the various activities organized by International-house have helped me develop early appreciation for diversity and prepared me for a great career at Goldman Sachs.

"My entrepreneurship course at UE is another experience that I am fortunate to have been a part of. In addition to helping me launch CollegeVita, a social networking website, both financially and know-how wise, I learned the art of leadership and how to transform ideas into successful businesses. Entrepreneurship is equally important in big corporations like Goldman Sachs, where every project and transaction requires creativity, team work, leadership, and results."

Ritu Shah '09, Jamshedpur, India

Graduate Student at Harvard University
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, finance and management concentrations; internet technology minor
magna cum laude

Ritu Shah is a graduate student at Harvard University pursuing a degree in international relations. Prior to starting graduate school, she worked as an HR professional at International Business Machines (IBM). While studying at UE, she interned with Old National Bank in their HR and finance departments and was nominated as the Indiana Intern of the year 2008. The following year, she interned with IBM in Chicago and was offered a position at IBM, India after graduating in 2009. Her various internships and work experiences enhanced her application to graduate school. At Harvard University, she is an active member of Harvard India Student Group and various other organizations and non-profits of the greater Boston area. She also led the Harvard Business School trek to India in 2010-11 and was a co-chair of the India Conference at Harvard last year.

"As a graduate student at such a prestigious university, it is essential to have a global mindset where you can interact with people from all over the world," Ritu says. "It is essential to have those interpersonal and networking skills to be able to meet with people from such diverse backgrounds. UE helped me develop these skills right from my freshman year when I became a member of the international students club and interacted with international students hailing from over 50 countries. The team building exercises at various UE events gave me a broader perspective of different cultures and people. The support of the staff and faculty at UE helped me develop networking skills, encouraged creativity, and built my confidence during my formative years to prepare me for the real world. One of my favorite experiences at UE was starting my own business during my sophomore year as part of UE's entrepreneurial experience. This helped me learn the nuances of operating a business on a daily basis and gave me an eye for detail. Studying at UE and being amidst such an international and diverse student body has really helped me become a global citizen."

Kien Pham '11, Vietnam

E.I.T. Environmental Engineer at ARCADIS Inc.
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
summa cum laude

After Kien Pham graduated from the University of Evansville in May 2011, he was selected by ARCADIS Inc. to become the newest environmental engineer of the company's elite Sediment and Waterfront Group. ARCADIS is a leading environmental consulting firm that provides a wide range of services to major industries such oil and gas, power and utilities, mining, and many more. ARCADIS's stature as a global engineering firm is underlined by its fleet of 15,000 employees worldwide and a revenue of $3 billion (2011).

Kien was able to impress the ARCADIS recruitment team thanks to the Evansville Experience of academic quality and involvement opportunities. The hiring managers admired the fact the he was able to secure internships at engineering firms for every summer of his college career. These paid engineering internships were made possible with the assistance of UE's Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education.

The Evansville Experience truly made an impact during Kien's senior year when, under the guidance of UE faculty members and the Honors Program, Kien participated in two major regional competitions: the Math, Engineering, and Science Conference (MESCON 2011) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Great Lakes Conference. Kien's ability to deliver oral presentations in front of his peers and the quality of his papers earned him first-place awards ahead of students from other top-tier engineering schools. These achievements were the direct results of months of data collection, literature research, editing, and presentation practice under the guidance of the UE civil engineering faculty members.

"The fact that I was able to secure a promising job with a major company in my field of study during this difficult economic time is the strongest testimony to my Evansville Experience," Kien says. "I am sure I had to compete against job candidates from Cornell, NYU, Columbia, and all these reputable schools in the greater New York area. But I didn't let the competition startle me. When I walked across that stage with the UE diploma in my hands, I felt this sense of confidence, a feeling that I have been well prepared by the University to compete and join the professional workforce. Better yet, I was able to do so among great friends, both American and international, from around the world. I owe a lot to UE for where I am today. Thanks, UE!"