About This Episode
In this episode, Sameer Arora shares his story of success as an alumnus of Franklin and Marshall College.
Sameer shares his tips for success and advice for current students, providing a unique perspective on the Franklin and Marshall College experience.
If you're considering a college or university, be sure to check out Franklin and Marshall College.
This private liberal arts college has a long history of producing successful students.
Tune in to learn from one of F&M's distinguished alumni!
Host & Guest
Sameer Arora
GuestSameer Arora is the Managing Director of the Prime Brokerage Department at Morgan Stanley and a Director at City Access NY. With an MBA in Finance from the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a BA in Economics and Business Administration from Franklin & Marshall College, Sameer brings more than three decades of financial expertise and leadership to his work.
His career spans deep experience across hedge funds, equities, prime brokerage, alternative investments, fixed income, equity derivatives, structured products, capital markets, and investment banking. Before joining Morgan Stanley, Sameer served as Chief Operating Officer at Ferox Capital LLP, where he helped guide strategic operations and investment workflows.
Sameer attributes his professional success to living by the Golden Rule, maintaining integrity, and embracing continuous learning. Outside the office, he enjoys traveling, golf, cricket, and chess—pursuits that reflect both his curiosity and competitive spirit.
Key Highlights:
1. Managing Director, Prime Brokerage Department, Morgan Stanley
2. Director, City Access NY
3. Former Chief Operating Officer, Ferox Capital LLP
4. MBA in Finance, NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business
5. BA in Economics & Business Administration, Franklin & Marshall College
6. Expertise across hedge funds, equities, prime brokerage, and alternative investments
7. Skilled in fixed income, equity derivatives, structured products, and capital markets
8. Believes in success through integrity, the Golden Rule, and ongoing learning
9. Enjoys traveling, golf, cricket, and chess
Ashish Fernando
HostFounder & CEO, EDMO
Ashish Fernando is the visionary founder and CEO of EDMO, a revolutionary educational technology platform that's transforming how people learn and grow. With over 15 years of experience in education and technology, Ashish has dedicated his career to making quality education accessible to learners worldwide. Before founding EDMO, Ashish held leadership positions at several prominent EdTech companies and worked as an educational consultant for Fortune 500 companies. He holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Master's in Computer Science from MIT. Ashish is a frequent speaker at educational conferences and has been featured in publications such as EdTech Magazine, Learning & Development Today, and TechCrunch. He's passionate about the intersection of technology and human potential, believing that the right tools can unlock extraordinary learning outcomes for everyone. Under his leadership, EDMO has grown to serve over 100,000 learners globally and has partnerships with leading educational institutions and corporations. Ashish continues to drive innovation in personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and educational analytics.
Key Achievements:
1. Founded EDMO in 2019, now serving 100,000+ learners globally
2. Named 'EdTech Innovator of the Year' by Learning Technology Awards 2023
3. Featured speaker at Global Education Summit 2024
4. Published researcher in educational technology and learning analytics
5. Advisor to multiple EdTech startups and educational initiatives
Show Notes
- 1 00:36 Introduction: Welcoming Sameer Arora
- 2 02:07 Sameer's Background: Journey from Mumbai to Franklin & Marshal
- 3 03:57 Franklin & Marshall Experience: A Home Away from Home
- 4 05:12 Post-Graduation Path: From NYU MBA to London
- 5 06:04 Giving Back: Endowing a Scholarship at Franklin & Marshall
- 6 08:23 Advice for International Students: Navigating Challenges
- 7 12:01 Career Mindset: Getting Paid to Learn
Key Quotes
"My success in life since then if Franklin & Marshall hadn't done for me what they did, which was give me an amazing education, critical thinking skills, etc., I wouldn't have been where I am today."
"When you leave college, you're getting paid to learn make sure you understand what you're doing, why you're doing it, and start making connections."
"Taking on a huge financial burden in the form of a loan to finance an education is quite daunting as long as you've got clear ideas about what you want to do, it's definitely worth it."
Resources
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