Arya Gadage ’25, a double major in Mathematics and German & Scandinavian Studies with a minor in Business, brought a global lens and deep curiosity to her UMass Amherst journey. After moving from India to attend UMass Amherst at the age of 17, Arya was eager to find a community that would make the university feel more personal and connected. She discovered that space in the UMass iCons Program, where she joined the Renewable Energy track.
After attending an iCons information session early in her college experience, Arya was inspired by the program’s emphasis on interdisciplinary teamwork and real-world problem solving. “This is the first time I was doing anything of the sort,” Arya recalled. “And the first day we all met as a cohort was on my birthday, so it was very special for me.”
As she progressed through the iCons program, Arya appreciated the program’s focus on science communication and collaboration across disciplines. These values led her to take SCHMGMT 508: Alternative Investments with Professor Mila Sherman as her iCons 3 course in Fall 2023. The course—focused on financial strategy and innovation—deeply influenced her path forward.
As part of the class, Arya was selected for a team project in partnership with AlphaSimplex, a hedge fund based in Boston, MA. The team worked closely with industry professionals to explore innovative financial tools and workflow improvements. Although she was the youngest member of the team, Arya quickly found her footing.
“All of my team members were so supportive… this is when I learned I want to be in the finance industry,” she said. “I’m really thankful to iCons and Prof. Mila Sherman for the opportunity.”
Inspired by this experience, Arya designed a senior iCons project that bridges STEM and business education. With guidance from her project advisor, Dr. Scott Auerbach, Arya developed a case study focused on collaborative learning between STEM and business students. She and her team examined how cultural and communication differences between the two groups might hinder cooperation—and how thoughtfully structured real-world scenarios could break down these barriers. Their project centered on the use of artificial intelligence in the health insurance industry and used pre- and post-surveys to assess how student perceptions changed through collaboration.
Arya’s goal was to help her peers see past disciplinary stereotypes. “Within iCons, students have discovered that there is a potential cultural divide between STEM and business students,” she explained. “We’re hoping to show that the divide isn’t as large as students might think.”
Through iCons, Arya says her approach to problems has transformed. Her mathematical training initially led her to view the world in binaries—right versus wrong, valid versus invalid. But her interdisciplinary experiences helped her embrace ambiguity and develop flexibility.
“Whenever you’re running experiments, everything needs to be perfect, or else the data is invalid,” she reflected. “Taking that class [SCHMGMT 508] humbled me… they were honest people… things don’t have to be perfect.”
She adds that letting go of perfectionism has made her a more adaptable thinker—something she believes will serve her well beyond UMass.
Following graduation, Arya will begin a prestigious predoctoral fellowship at Columbia University in New York City. She will work with the Program for Economic Research (PER) in the Department of Economics, studying development economics and econometrics under the mentorship of Professors Michael Best and Haoge Chang.
From solving global challenges in the classroom to preparing for a future in economic research, Arya’s journey through iCons reflects the transformative power of interdisciplinary education and collaboration.