Tishya Dua is an ABF alum from the graduating class of 2019. Throughout her time at BCA, she was involved in several organisations including SPARK, IDA, and Relay For Life. Now, four years later, the current college senior spends her days volunteering, meeting with friends, and studying at New York University’s STERN School of Business. 

In fact, Tishya’s time at the university has been a significant part of her life since graduating from the Academies. “College has been a really interesting experience,” she said. “It really let me learn much more about myself. BCA was a great environment, but I was constantly working toward improving my grade. In college, I’ve had some breathing room to re-assess what matters to me and pursue new goals.” 

The freedom of being in college has also allowed Tishya to explore many new interests. For example, she began teaching a fitness class in Harlem for adults with Down syndrome. According to Tishya, “Volunteering was a really powerful experience. I felt that I was making an impact on the people around me, but at the same time, I was growing as a person. Even just traveling to Harlem every week helped me familiarise myself with the city and become more comfortable.”

Unfortunately, due to the spread of COVID during her freshman year, Tishya’s volunteer work was cut short. Thankfully, she found new ways to stay connected with the NYU community. “When the pandemic hit, I started to get involved virtually in many different clubs,” she said. “The two that stand out to me are Management Consulting Group and Net Impact, which evaluates the social impact of businesses. All in all, my decision to join clubs at STERN so quickly was definitely influenced by my time in the rich extracurricular environment at BCA.” 

During her later years at NYU, Tishya stayed involved with these clubs, even taking on leadership roles as a liaison, a mentor, and finally, Vice President of both organisations. Now, in her senior year, Tishya is finally back in the city in-person, and she is excited to be there. “It’s a really great time,” she explained. “With everything reopening again, there’s an energy in the city that wasn’t there before.”

Moreover, Tishya cannot wait to visit BCA soon as COVID restrictions are now much less strict. Ultimately, even though she has ventured a long way from the academies, “No matter where I end up, BCA will always have a special place in my heart.”