1) What are your fondest memories of Seisen International School?

I fondly remember an unparalleled vibrancy when Seisen students and faculty came together around a common purpose or celebration, whether it be pep rallies, sports days, community service trips, school dances, speech contests, graduations, Christmas masses, or track meets. We celebrated and competed hard with a shared sense of purpose and identity that took on a life of their own in those moments. We had each other’s backs, cheered wildly from the depths of the bleachers, shared inside jokes, and lived each other’s highs and lows. We were safe and happy, entirely at home and entirely ourselves. Jim Rohn famously said “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” and in these settings it became clear to me that any permutation of five within the Seisen family would be a gift.

2) How did your education at Seisen influence your career path?

Ours was a multidisciplinary and multicultural education that emphasized extracurricular activities to complement learning inside the classroom, pushing me continuously to grow and stretch myself in different directions. A desire for more of the same pushed me towards the dual-degree Huntsman Program at the University of Pennsylvania where I studied finance and international studies, the latter of which piqued my interest given the many languages and ethnicities I was surrounded with at Seisen for twelve years. Moreover, I credit much of my work ethic, ability to think critically and creatively, and time management skills to the rigor of the IB program.

After Penn, I joined General Atlantic, a global growth-equity firm that invests in innovative high-growth companies across multiple industries. I spend the vast majority of my time in tech, meeting passionate entrepreneurs and learning constantly about companies seeking to disrupt the world. The role is also extremely analytical, requiring foresight and independent judgment as I seek to understand precisely the likely trajectory these trends will follow over time and if we should invest capital in them. My education has provided me the necessary platform upon which to build my career, but Seisen pushed the bounds of my curiosity and imbibed in me that constant search for multifaceted growth.

3) What life advice would you give current students?

1. Stay curious always – open your mind, constantly ask questions, and know that there’s something to learn from everyone; you’ll be surprised by where you draw that next bit of inspiration
2. Push forward with a mix of confidence and humility; the former will help you with that little leap of faith involved in every next step, and the latter will ensure you evolve, stay hungry, and avoid complacency
3. You need to be your single greatest champion, especially in times of adversity, and that responsibility can’t lie with anyone else
4. View yourself as a constant work in progress – being successful is about being gritty and pushing yourself to improve by surrounding yourself with bright, kind individuals who motivate you to keep stretching your boundaries

About Richa

Class: 2014

Nationality: Indian

Career highlights: Growth-equity investment experience at ICONIQ Capital and General Atlantic primarily in tech where I've interacted with 1,000+ companies, sourced and diligenced proprietary investment opportunities in leading enterprise software and consumer internet companies, developed sector expertise in cybersecurity, and helped lead summer analyst recruiting and training. 

Current interests: Gender equality in tech and finance, bikram yoga, microfinance, Revisionist History podcast, Bon Iver