Business economics and mathematics alumna uses liberal arts education to tackle critical financial problems

For Sanjana Kumbhani ’17, challenging questions are a part of everyday life. As a business economics and mathematics major at The College of Wooster, she looked at complex economic theory to write an Independent Study thesis on option pricing. Drawing on her knowledge and experiences at Wooster, she uses her skills as a senior manager at Walmart Financial Services, solving complicated problems and working to bring financial products to customers across the U.S.

Originally from Mumbai, India, Kumbhani knew that she wanted to attend a college that would make the transition to life in the United States seamless. “I wanted a place where I would feel supported, and I wanted a place that was small and had a big focus on community,” she said. The support she received from classmates and professors was instrumental in making the most of her time at Wooster. 

While taking Linear Algebra with John Ramsay, professor emeritus of mathematics, Kumbhani struggled with both the class and a sense of self-doubt. When she came into Ramsay’s office with a form to drop her math major, though, he refused to sign it, telling Kumbhani, “You are very much capable of majoring in math. Don’t give up just yet.” Her math major was challenging, but, with the support of her professors, including spending hours in their office working through homework and her I.S., she was able to successfully overcome the challenge. She reflects, “I now feel really proud of accomplishing both of my majors. They really pushed me and challenged me, and it was very rewarding when I came out on the other side.” 

Along with her two majors, Kumbhani was heavily involved with extracurricular activities. She was an active member of the Hans H. Jenny Investment Club, the College’s student-managed investment portfolio, since her first year, and was elected president of the organization her junior year. “The club was extremely impactful to my career choices and exposed me to the world of capital markets and finance, an industry that I eventually pursued a career in. It also was a great opportunity to develop leadership skills early on,” she said. 

After graduating from Wooster, Kumbhani spent two years working for Citi Bank, first working in the capital markets division, then moving to work in strategy and business development for Citi’s consumer bank. In this position, she was responsible for identifying and executing growth opportunities, focusing on strategic partnerships in technology industries. Wanting to leverage her experience in finance to have an impact on fast-moving industries like technology, Kumbhani went on to earn a master’s in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  

After receiving her master’s degree, Kumbhani then began her position as a senior manager of growth initiatives for Walmart Financial Services. In this role, she works to solve nationwide problems and bring banking solutions to people across the United States. “A lot of the U.S. is underbanked, and Walmart’s massive reach can be leveraged to bring more customers into the financial system across the country,” she explained. What she enjoys the most about this position is the opportunity to think creatively about large-scale issues. “When you’re working at the scale that Walmart is, you have to think very big, and you have to be ambitious. At the same time, you have to pay a lot of attention to detail and be very methodical about orchestrating change in the organization,” she said.  

Although her skills in mathematics and economics are vital to her success in this position, Kumbhani also credits skills such as communication and time management with her success in her career. As she explains, “As a liberal arts student, you set yourself apart from your peers with your ability to write and communicate clearly and effectively, your organization, and your time management. Those are things I picked up during my four years at Wooster.” She also appreciates learning how to ask tough questions, and how to look for answers even when there is limited information available.  

“A liberal arts education is not just about what you learn. It teaches you how to learn, so that no matter what problems you encounter in your job, you have the skills that will help you understand how to tackle it,” Kumbhani said.

Image: Sanjana Kumbhani ’17. Photo provided by Kumbhani.

Posted in Alumni on January 22, 2024.