Sanjana Mehta and Isha Ghatule are doubling down on their Hokie journey and the spirit of Ut Prosim. Both are students in the 3+1+1 program between Virginia Tech and Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, India. They have completed a Bachelor’s degree at both institutions and now are graduate students in Virginia Tech’s Master of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Global Business Analytics (MSBA-GBA) program. Sanjana and Isha are also co-founders of AlgoRhythm, the pioneering data science club which operates under Virginia Tech’s Graduate Student Assembly for the D.C. Metro Area and is open to Virginia Tech graduate students in the greater Washington, D.C. area.

Sanjana and Isha’s interest in starting AlgoRhythm stemmed from their time at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies where they were student leaders of a Data Science club. This leadership experience gave them the confidence to pursue their idea of starting a similar club for graduate students at Virginia Tech. They envisioned the club would create a community where data enthusiasts from all backgrounds and skill levels could gather and collaborate, bridging academic learning with real-world application. Additionally, the club would provide a conducive environment for Virginia Tech students to upskill themselves, network with industry professionals, and collaborate to push boundaries of data science. AlgoRhythm held its inaugural event on October 18, 2024. The event featured Pamplin alum Audrey Tran (a Business Analyst at CGI) speaking about her journey from Virginia Tech student to professional in the data science industry. Audrey also engaged in a Q&A session with attendees. More than 25 students and faculty attended the event.

Sanjana and Isha are in the process of planning future events for AlgoRhythm, which includes attending hackathons and having fun Data Science-themed events. They note it has not been easy to run a club while also managing their personal and academic responsibilities. They also note it has been fulfilling to take on this challenge and engage with so many bright minds and personalities within the Hokie community. In fact, their favorite part of being a Hokie is this community- especially the way that Hokies band together to support one another. They encourage current and future students to challenge themselves and take advantage of this community, in addition to other opportunities available at Virginia Tech’s Graduate School in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area.