Graduate Student Spotlight | Ashish Shrestha

I am a marketing and social media manager by profession. I am doing my master’s degree in business administration with a core focus in marketing. I got my bachelor’s degree in multimedia technology from London Metropolitan University, taught in affiliation with Islington College in Nepal. My core focus is photography and videography/cinematography, which closely aligns with marketing. I am also a social media ambassador (GA) for the Hood Graduate School.

I am doing my master’s degree in business administration with a core focus in marketing. I have experience in photography and videography, but I have always felt I had something more to accomplish, so I decided to pursue a marketing degree. I got a certification with Deer Walk Training Center in digital marketing. After that, I started out marketing for my family business, and I finally thought of pursuing my master’s degree at Hood College.

For now, I am just focusing on getting my degree. I still have a year until I graduate in spring 2027. Currently, I am on my CPT at a local business in Frederick as an operations intern and marketing intern. Since I already have experience in content creation, I am looking forward to a career in content creation and marketing. Furthermore, I come from a business family; I have been exposed to the roots of business since early childhood and have always been drawn toward business. However, I have yet to step outside my comfort zone. Hood has been helping through this. I have been stepping up to attend most of the networking events for the Graduate School, which has helped me meet new people. I have had the pleasure of working with my peers in the classroom as well.

I had a course called Management Theory in my first semester, where the professor was also from a marketing background. There, I learned the basics of management. I took my marketing classes during the summer, where I met my other professor. I learned that he was also from a photography background like me. That gave me more motivation to focus on my marketing journey. All these courses within my program have helped me develop both analytical and practical skills, which I have applied in real-world situations. Additionally, the support and guidance from faculty mentors have been incredibly valuable. They’ve not only challenged me academically, but also encouraged me to think more critically and pursue my career goals with confidence.
 

I have lived with my aunt, uncle and grandmother since I moved to the United States. Therefore, I felt like I always had more responsibilities. For me, my family always comes first, so I always make way to help them however possible. By helping them in their business, my academic work, my GA work and taking care of my grandmother, balancing my time and a busy schedule has really been challenging. However, I rely on planning. I use tools like calendars to track my schedule and deadlines. I also set a dedicated time for my academics while still staying involved in campus activities. It all comes down to consistency and time management. To avoid burnout, I get involved in intramural activities like badminton, tennis and other sports. In my other free time, I play video games and stream them on Twitch and YouTube.
 

My advice would be to take full advantage of the opportunities available at Hood. Get involved on campus and connect with professors and peers. Hood offers a supportive community and many resources that can help you grow both academically and personally. Staying proactive and stepping out of your comfort zone into new experiences can make a big difference in your overall journey.

Inspired by Ashish’s story? Ready to #GOFURTHER in your career? Learn more about Hood College's graduate programs, including the master's in business administration.