2017 Harold R. Mortenson Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Pooja Saran is a second-year Alumni Scholar studying Business Economics at UCLA. She has a passion for learning and problem-solving – thriving in environments where she can continually challenge herself. Pooja’s quantitative background in finance, accounting, and economics has provided her with a strong aptitude for logical and critical thinking. On campus she is part of Bruin Investment & Trading Group, where she thinks critically to analyze the effects of current market conditions on companies’ financial health. Pooja is also a Presidential Associate of the Alumni Scholars Club and an Event Manager at the Anderson School of Management, where she uses her exemplary leadership skills to execute large-scale events and build meaningful connections. In her spare time, Pooja enjoys hiking, DIY crafting, and spending time with her family and friends.

Future Plans: Pooja is pursuing a career in finance, where she can use her analytical mindset to solve challenging problems. After graduating with her undergraduate degree and gaining more industry experience, she plans to continue in higher education by pursuing a MBA. Pooja looks forward to using her technical knowledge for positive change.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I would like to thank Mr. Mortenson and the Department for supporting my academic endeavors and believing in my successes. This generosity strengthens my belief and commitment to feed-forward. Knowing others are confident in me and invested in my education further motivates me to continue holding myself to exceptional standards – always challenging myself to do more. This scholarship will help me achieve my goals by letting me focus on my studies, rather than financial stresses. I am grateful for the generous support of Mr. Mortenson and the Economics Department. Thank you for this honor!