How a scholarship from UPES changed a student’s life

Aayushi Verma, a girl determined to pursue her dreams, bagged 100% scholarship from UPES in 2016 and is now aspiring for higher education in one of the Ivy League schools

Four years ago, in 2016, after her father had a paralytic attack, life took a new turn for Aayushi Verma.

“There was hardly any hope and I could barely see any light coming through. But as we say, good things happen when we least expect it. The same happened with me when I got a chance to study in UPES through an NGO (Purkal),” recounts Aayushi Verma. After detailed applications, written assessments, followed by a Group Discussion and Personal Interview (GDPI), Aayushi got the confirmation of a 100% scholarship. The scholarship covered hostel fees, uniform, books, industrial visits and other expenses.

Aayushi, a second year student of BBA Core, UPES School of Business,  is currently doing her summer internship with Bajaj Health Insurance. She’s gaining expertise in skills like human resource management and teamwork.
A brilliant and confident student,  Aayushi shares details about her inspiring journey and how UPES helped transform her life. Her story will reaffirm your belief in dreams, hopes and miracles.

How has UPES shaped your life?  

Industrial visits, industry alliances, up-to-date curriculum, decision-making abilities, team projects, business events, cultural fests, guest lectures, research assignments, group presentations and soft-skills have laid a strong foundation for me to become a good team player and a global business professional. The constant support by my faculty and peers and exhaustive online resources have helped me develop a better understanding of the modern business world.

Who is your inspiration?

My mother has always been my biggest support and inspiration. Despite the ups and downs, my mother never lost hope and puts in a lot of hard work to take care of the family. Her strong determination and never-give-up attitude encouraged me to do well and succeed in life. I further want to pursue my post-graduation from one of the Ivy League schools in the US  and create a bright future for myself.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced so far?

Owing to challenging circumstances back home, somehow I always used to shun talking about my family and mixing with people. I use to feel so heavy inside. After struggling with my emotions for six months, I told everybody about my family circumstances. Luckily, all of them accepted me with my reality and supported me in a big way. It was a great relief and I realized that it is important to be transparent and honest, personally as well as professionally.

What are your thoughts about UPES Shakti?

The idea of providing 25% scholarship on tuition fee to all girl students enrolling from year 2020 is a big step towards empowering girl education. Patriarchal society, gender stereotypes and lack of financial support are the primary reasons that restrain young girls from pursuing higher education. Therefore, 25% scholarship would open doors for many small-town girls to work towards their dreams and ambitions. Going forward, even I would love to contribute actively for girls’ education and women’s empowerment.

Lastly, I would like to thank the top leadership at UPES for the wonderful initiative of providing 100% scholarship to students who want to prosper, but do not have the means. People who believe in gender equality make this world a better place to live in. Every act of compassion is like a ripple in a pond– the impact of this initiative will reach far beyond what you can see.