TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 13, 2020) — Keen business acumen coupled with a drive to address social issues has made USF’s Fall 2020 Outstanding Graduate stand out on campus and off since her first year at the University of South Florida.
Nandini Agarwal founded a student-led business that’s developing sustainable, patient-friendly medical devices with plans to funnel profits to programs that benefit disabled people. She won coveted internships, including Goldman Sachs in New York City and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Tampa, and was selected as a Millennium Fellow, an elite cohort of students tasked with advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
From USF’s three campuses, the USF Alumni Association selects one fall graduate who exemplifies exceptional leadership, school spirit, academic excellence, community involvement, and a love for the university. Agarwal will be recognized during virtual commencement ceremonies at 9 a.m. Dec. 12 at usf.edu/commencement.
Nandini Agarwal, BS Accounting and BS Finance, USF Tampa campus
As a teenage immigrant to the United States from India, Nandini Agarwal looked to build a strong supportive network at USF. In her first year, she joined the executive boards of Students of India Association and International Students Association, where she began growing her Bulls “family” while honing her leadership skills, organizing events that drew up to 1,000 attendees. Also, a member of USF’s highly selective Business Honors and Provost Scholars programs, Agarwal took advantage of their rigorous challenges, designed to enrich the university experience for academically gifted students.
While pursuing objectives for traditional definitions of professional success, she also fed her desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. She interned at Centre for Social Research, India’s premier women’s rights organization, where she collected data in impoverished areas of New Delhi for a research paper on impediments to women’s financial literacy and autonomy. In her final year at USF, she created Samagreen, a social enterprise that aims to produce biodegradable medical devices. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she also launched Emerging Bulls Consulting, a pro bono firm serving Tampa nonprofits.
Agarwal has maintained a 3.87 overall grade-point average; is a Clinton Global Initiative member; a Muma College of Business 25-Under-25 honoree; and a Marshall Student Center Hall of Fame award recipient, among numerous other honors. She’s currently weighing graduate school and employment offers.
About the USF Alumni Association
The USF Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization composed of former students and friends of the University of South Florida. Our mission is to provide meaningful ways for USF Bulls to support, protect and promote their university. There are more than 360,000 USF graduates worldwide. For more information, log on to www.usfalumni.org, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USFalumni and follow us on Instagram@usf__alumni or Twitter @USFAlumniAssn.