ST. PETERSBURG 鈥� Samhitha Prabhakar's college trajectory took an unexpected turn upon her arrival at the 91社区. The St. Petersburg campus left a surprising and undeniable mark on the St. Louis native.
鈥淚t was the St. Petersburg campus that made my decision,鈥� said Prabhakar. 鈥淚 fell in love with the campus.鈥�
With her choice of school made, Prabhakar faced a swift three-day decision window for choosing her major. Citing the outstanding reputation of the Muma College of Business, the new USF student started her path towards a career in finance.
The 13-hour drive away from family compelled Prabhakar to focus on building an academic career that was worth calling home about.
Her sophomore year brought Prabhakar a new role as the Undergraduate Student Assistant at the Muma College of Business. As talk buzzed around the office of an upcoming Bulls Business Showcase event, she geared up to make a lasting impression.
Her desire to succeed came as no surprise to those who work closely with Prabhakar. 鈥淪amhi is driven to excel. She intentionally seeks opportunities to support her personal and professional development,鈥� said Ashley Curtis, assistant program director of the Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership.
With a desire to get a feel for each of the companies in attendance, Prabhakar donned her best business professional attire and introduced herself to every company at the Bulls Business Showcase.
鈥淵ou can get a feel for each companies workplace environment,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 so important because that is who you鈥檙e possibly going to surround yourself with and how you鈥檙e going to grow.鈥�
Prabhakar sees the benefit in professional networking events for both students and companies. 鈥淓veryone is there for the same thing, to meet new people. It鈥檚 not just for students; the companies are there to connect as well,鈥� she said.
鈥淎t the event, Samhi displayed confidence and poise, establishing a presence that connected with employers,鈥� said Curtis. 鈥淗er initiative, curiosity, and high standard of excellence helped her succeed.鈥�
In a departure from the traditional approach, Prabhakar did not bring a single resume to the event. Instead, she carried just two things - a folder to collect information on the companies and her cellphone. Instead of leaving resumes, she invited companies to scan each other's LinkedIn codes for a more interactive connection.
This unconventional approach paid off the next day when Prabhakar received a message from one of her connections through LinkedIn, inviting her to the office to meet the team.
She was soon offered a part-time role, which she gladly accepted. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e an amazing team,鈥� said Prabhakar. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to learn everything that I possibly can.鈥�
Anticipating a busy spring semester, Prabhakar is set to juggle her roles as an undergraduate assistant, a full-time student, and a part-time employee at Merrill Lynch.
Another primary focus for Prabhakar is leading the Scholars of Finance club, an organization she established. The club holds a special place in Prabhakar鈥檚 college experience, and she looks forward to growing it coming back as an alumna to see the club鈥檚 success.
Scheduled to graduate in spring 2026, Prabhakar has ambitious plans before then. 鈥淭his college is an amazing resource,鈥� she noted. 鈥淢y goal is to get out of school knowing that I used every resource that I could, as much as I can. I鈥檓 going out with no regrets.鈥�