Feature Stories 2025: Adwita Saxena '25: Building foundations and creating community

Adwita Saxena '25 applied to UMass Dartmouth as an economics major from her hometown of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. Now, she’s a senior economics and finance double major helping other Indian international students begin their UMassD journeys while paving the way for her own future.

With a successful startup, club leadership roles, and multiple internships at "Big Four" accounting firms under her belt, she’s ready to face what's next.

Economics and finance double major

Saxena studies both economics and finance, majors that span across the Charlton College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences. Saxena was admitted to UMassD as an econ major, but decided to diversify her knowledge by adding a finance major.

"I love everything about economics. It gives you a great theoretical understanding of how the economy works. I adore the econ department, especially the professors. They love what they do," Saxena said.

"Although economics provides a great theoretical background, I wanted to gain the practical expertise that studying finance has to offer. Having this finance major will help me get the jobs that I want." 

"Big Four" internships providing real-world skills

Saxena’s areas of study have already set her on a path towards her dream future. She has completed internships at three of the "Big Four" accounting firms, including KPMG, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte, working in each of their offices in India.

At these internships, her duties included researching acquisitions, assisting senior members organize their documentation, and creating presentations. They provided her with a hands-on look into how large companies operate their financial departments.  

"These internships have given me the practical application that I need to succeed. I learned all the theoretical information during class and gained the real-life skills while working at these firms." 

Founding a startup company in the life sciences

In addition to her internships, Saxena utilizes her economics and finance skills at her startup company, Advita Life Sciences, which she co-founded while in high school.

"The goal of the firm is to provide medicine to underprivileged members of society, especially my hometown in India. We provide affordable healthcare products without compromising on quality by outsourcing the production and research. The operation successfully covers a customer base of approximately 40 million across two major states in India, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, with an annual revenue of $120,000," Saxena said.

"Studying finance has given me a broader understanding of how everything runs. I can better understand how we get funding, our profits, what goes on during tax season, and navigating the strict regulations that medical companies in India face. This startup is one of the reasons that I pursued finance, so I could one day be the backbone of the company's finances." 

Indian Student Association

Saxena is an undergraduate advisor for the Indian Student Association (ISA), a community of Indian international students at UMassD.

"I assist new undergrad students from India who arrive on campus. I help them settle into college life, communicate with their families, decide what to bring from India versus what to buy here, and coordinate transportation to the airport. I also give them advice on navigating their majors and academics," she said.  

"I’ve been a member of ISA since my sophomore year, and it’s such a great way for people to stay connected to their culture and feel at home on campus. It’s a huge organization, and you end up making a lot of friends. Plus, they put on cultural events like Diwali and Holi, and it’s nice to celebrate holidays with a community when you’re away from your family. It provides a huge sense of belonging."  

International community at UMassD

UMass Dartmouth has a large population of international students, especially students from India. "I think that so many international students are drawn to UMass Dartmouth because it’s a research-focused university, and there’s a lot of encouragement to engage in your field. Plus, the community and student body at UMassD are very welcoming. Everyone is so accepting, and I like the fact that it’s quite diverse," said Saxena. 

Future goals

Being a student at UMass Dartmouth has prepared Saxena to enter the post-grad world and begin her journey towards her dream career.  

She plans to work in the financial department of a large pharmaceutical or healthcare company. "I want to first get more industry experience. I want to better understand how big pharmaceutical companies are run, then bring that knowledge to my own company."

She aspires to eventually create her own healthcare business, perhaps continuing with Advita Life Sciences, either in the U.S. or in India. "I’ve always wanted to do something in healthcare. I grew up in a small town in India, and both my parents are doctors, so I’ve always been inspired to enter that field," she said. 

For the immediate future, Saxena plans to further her education in finance, and has been accepted into the Master’s in Finance programs at Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University, and New York University. 

You can connect with Saxena on her LinkedIn profile.  

These internships have given me the practical application that I need to succeed. I learned all the theoretical information during class and gained the real-life skills while working at these firms.