Before Ubaidullah Samadi learned about the Business Edge program during Columbia Summer 2020, he was doing a virtual internship for the Bank of New Zealand in project management. Yet the Susquehanna University junior was drawn to “Columbia’s culture and ethic” and wanted to be a part of “a hard-working culture and university that could empower me to accomplish my business and personal goals.” That’s where the Business Edge program, a short-form crash course in business fundamentals offered only over the summer at Columbia, came in.
We checked in with Samadi to learn more about his experience in the program, the transition to remote learning, and what comes next for him.
Why did Business Edge appeal to you?
Business Edge was a great program for me to be a part of because I could enhance my business acumen. I learned in the program that business goes beyond numbers; leadership and management is what truly makes business and drives employees to accomplish feats that no one has accomplished before. I wanted to receive an unparalleled experience at Columbia and I got it; I learned the many aspects of business, accounting, finance, leadership, and marketing all in a short timespan and I met great people in the process as well, and I am very grateful for this!
What was your experience at Columbia? What was the experience like online?
My experience was fantastic; I met amazing people online but we got to know each other really well after working hard on our projects. The meetings between us just flowed; we learned a lot about each other and the world due to the diversity in the roster. Although all our meetings were virtual we all had a great time talking and working with each other and ultimately it was a great learning experience.
What were your favorite courses?
My favorite courses were accounting, finance, and leadership. I learned many interesting theories in the leadership module and as a Finance major I was able to apply my financial knowledge artistically into the Business Edge Project. I made assumptions on the Prime Air drone delivery project of Amazon and made assumptions of its cash flows based on research and implemented them into excel.
I learned many of the intrinsic factors of the financial side of Amazon by analyzing its financial statements but I also learned the leadership aspects of Jeff Bezos and many other leaders and philosophers such as Machiavelli. I learned that although important, the finance and accounting side is not everything that makes up a company but how the leaders lead the company philosophically really affects every aspect of the company, which I thought was amazing.
How did this coursework help you in your academic/professional goals?
I learned many critical Excel functions and formulas in the accounting and finance modules which I believe will be very beneficial for me in my future career. I also learned how to talk, dress, act, and even sit (with good posture) during an interview, and I am excited to apply these things during the later steps in my career.
What are you up to now?
Currently, I am continuing my junior year at Susquehanna University and I have applied to numerous internships for the summer of 2021. I am excited and ready for whatever the future holds, now that I am equipped with the best tools and skills given to me by Business Edge!
Learn more about the Business Edge program here.
