SFSU Gatorcast

For the first episode of the San Francisco State University Podcast, we are pleased to have Rushk Kerawala, an accomplished Finance alum. Rushk recounts how sports and music played an important role in shaping his leadership and social skills. He dealt with family challenges that impacted his academic standing, but he succeeded in university and his career with strong determination.

Rushk is a former president of FAME (Financial Analysis and Management Education), SFSU's premier finance club, which exposed him to various perspectives and networking opportunities, including an internship at Wells Fargo. He landed a full-time Risk Analyst role at Faire, an online wholesale marketplace that connects entrepreneurs across the globe. 

Tune in to know how Rushk mastered his skills and used his degree in Finance to power through his business career.

In what ways did your lessons in drumming help you once you started working in corporate America?

[00:06:47] I think it really gave me a way to vent and learn how to express my vulnerability through music, which is super impactful. And that also helps in the business world, because in order to network with people in order to reach out, you need to develop a sense of vulnerability. And it's very hard to do at first because a lot of people think, ‘Oh, why wouldn't someone want to help me out?’

Why would someone want to listen to me? What do I have to bring to the table?’ Once you're able to eliminate that self-doubt is when you really start to see opportunities open up.

When did you realize that finance was the right career choice for you?

[00:07:50] I remember when I wanted to join the business world, it was in high school and I took my first economics class. I knew immediately just by understanding the micro and macro trends that were something that was very engaging, very stimulating for me. It then opened me up to researching the financial markets, understanding the banking and tech world. And I think that's when I realized that I wanted to study either economics or finance when I went to college.

What would influence your decision to pursue an MBA?

[00:43:05] It's such a great opportunity to get that business school education while also be given access to alumni that work in various industries that you can network with. So I think for me, the decision is ultimately coming down to, am I going to be able to value that network? Can I get into a top school that would allow me to realize those things?

Because coming from a business degree and background, especially with the way that technology and networking are moving, I think regardless of the graduate school degree or not, you will always find a way to be successful. It just has to be what's right for your personal needs.

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Thanks for tuning in to the San Francisco State Alumni podcast, SFSU Gatorcast. We will be talking to alumni, students, and the administration about what's happening in our community. 

Do you want to hear about alumni success? Do you want to hear from our students? And do you want to hear from the administration about how our school is adapting to today's challenges? Then you've come to the right place. 

Mohamed currently works in EY-Parthenon's Transaction Strategy and Execution practice supporting Financial Services clients. He has worked in Consulting and Financial Services for more than 8 years. His previous experience includes Consulting at Bain and Company, Strategic Planning for BNP Paribas, and Analytics at MUFG. When he is not working, Mohamed enjoys exercising and spending time with his family.

He holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and a Bachelors in Finance from San Francisco State University.