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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JULY 03, 2026 | The Indian Eye 26

GOPIO-Manhattan Organizes College and Beyond

Panel Discussion for High School Students

OUR BUREAU sionals.
Next speaker, Shashank Sham-
Manhattan, NY
shabad, a graduate of NYU with
he Global Organization of experience in Urban Policy and spe-
People of Indian Origin (GO- cialized in Technology, Media, and
TPIO) Manhattan Chapter suc- Communications, served as a Com-
cessfully hosted its highly anticipated munity Liaison in the New York City
“College and Beyond” Panel Discus- Council, a College Legislative Aide
sion on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from in the Mayor’s Office of Intergovern-
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Bharatiya mental Affairs, and as an intern in the
Vidya Bhavan, New York. The event U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Rep-
brought together students, parents, resentatives. Shashank encouraged
educators, young professionals, com- students to embrace challenges and
munity leaders, and guests for an en- remain resilient in the face of setbacks.
gaging afternoon of learning, mentor- He shared that obstacles and failures
ship, and career guidance. are often valuable learning experienc-
The program was designed to es that contribute to future success.
help students and young profession- Touro College medical student
als navigate the evolving landscape Prof. Vangapaty emphasized the im- that resonated strongly with the audi- Vinisha Patel believes the work of be-
of higher education, career planning, portance of preparing students not ence. coming a physician begins long before
internships, leadership development, only for college admissions but also Prof. Rajasekhar Vangapaty the clinic. As Chapter President of the
networking, and professional success. for long-term success in their careers (Moderator) emphasized the impor- Student Osteopathic Medical Associ-
The event received an overwhelm- and personal lives. tance of lifelong learning, adaptability, ation, she took that conviction to Cap-
ing response from the community, Throughout the panel discussion, and building meaningful professional itol Hill at DO Day 2026.
with attendees actively participating speakers shared their personal jour- networks. He encouraged students to Dr. Sonia Sharma, with over 20
throughout the session. neys, challenges, lessons learned, and remain curious, embrace new technol- years of university-level teaching ex-
GOPIO Manhattan was honored professional experiences. The con- ogies, seek mentors, and continuously perience, has taught Hindi as a second
to welcome an accomplished panel of versation covered a broad range of develop new skills throughout their and foreign language at renowned
professionals representing diverse in- topics including selecting college ma- careers. institutions. She highlighted the im-
dustries and career paths. The panel jors, adapting to changing job markets, Mihir Sanghavi, senior engineer- portance of balancing professional
featured the following persons: Mihir developing leadership skills, securing ing leader specializing in AI, shared achievement with personal well-being.
Sanghavi, a senior engineering leader internships, building professional net- his experience across finance, cyberse- She encouraged students to prioritize
specializing in AI, machine learning, works, embracing emerging technol- curity, and enterprise technology high- mental health, maintain a healthy
and large-scale software systems; Bri- ogies including Artificial Intelligence, lighted that success is built on consis- work-life balance, and invest in per-
an Thomas, a Junior at New York Uni- and maintaining personal well-being tency, discipline, and perseverance. sonal development.
versity Stren Schol of Business; Sha- while pursuing ambitious goals. He advised students to focus on con- The panelists collectively empha-
shank Shamshabad, a public servant One of the highlights of the tinuous improvement and long-term sized that career success is not defined
and recent graduate of Columbia Uni- event was the highly interactive ques- growth rather than seeking immediate by a single achievement, degree, or job
versity’s School of International and tion-and-answer session. Students and results. title. Rather, success is built through
Public Affairs (MPA); Vinisha Patel, a parents asked thoughtful questions NYU Stern School of Business continuous learning, resilience, adapt-
second-year medical student at Touro regarding college admissions, career Junior Brian Thomas stressed the ability, meaningful relationships,
College of Osteopathic Medicine; and transitions, entrepreneurship, intern- importance of communication, team- strong character, and a commitment
Dr. Sonia Sharma, distinguished Hin- ship opportunities, graduate educa- work, and relationship-building. He to lifelong growth.
di language educator, scholar, author, tion, workplace expectations, and reminded young professionals that Attendees expressed apprecia-
and pioneer in Hindi language educa- professional growth. The panelists technical skills are important, but tion for the practical insights, candid
tion in the United States. provided practical advice, real-world strong interpersonal skills often dis- discussions, and mentorship provided
The discussion was skillfully mod- examples, and actionable strategies tinguish successful leaders and profes- by the panelists. Many students noted
erated by Prof. Rajasekhar Vangapaty, that the event helped clarify their aca-
President of GOPIO Manhattan, Pro- demic and career goals while provid-
fessor at the Fashion Institute of Tech- ing inspiration and confidence for the
nology (FIT), SUNY, and a dedicated future.
educator and community leader. GOPIO Manhattan extends its
The event opened with a warm sincere gratitude to all panelists, at-
welcome by GOPIO-Manhattan Vice tendees, volunteers, sponsors, and
President Vimal Goyle to attend- community supporters who contrib-
ees and an introduction to GOPIO uted to the success of this event. Spe-
Manhattan’s mission of empowering cial thanks are extended to Bharatiya
the community through education, Vidya Bhavan for hosting the program
leadership development, profession- and providing an excellent venue for
al networking, and service. President community engagement and learning.

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