Suneet Dua graduated from Baruch College in 1996. After majoring in accounting with a concentration in computer information systems, or CIS, the young graduate joined Coopers and Lybrand, a firm which later partnered with the Pricewaterhouse firm to form PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the U.S. auditing and consulting firm considered one of the four largest international professional service firms in existence today.
Still currently working at PWC as a partner at the firm, the 35-year-old professional recently took on another esteemed position. In February, Dua was appointed to the board of trustees for Scholarship America, the nonprofit organization which prides itself on “making postsecondary education possible for all students.”
He credits his community participation as a starting point for obtaining the position.
“I try to play a big role in the community… one of the clients I work with thought that I would be a pretty active member of Scholarship America and I went through the election process,” he stated in a telephone interview.
He emerged as an appointed board member after interviews with the president of Scholarship America.
“They asked questions to find out how I will support their mission and what I would bring to the table. Scholarship America is in a very pivotal period where they want to take it to the next level and are trying to figure out how so,” he said.
“[Scholarship America] needs leadership from young senior executives like myself who bring technology to the table.”
Though he claims it is still “a little bit too early” to develop his plans as trustee, his initial plan is to reach out through various media channels.
“For Scholarship America, we want to hand out the money and want to make sure the name gets out there.” By utilizing Facebook, Twitter and other media outlets, Dua is certain that Scholarship America can reach more people. “I can help draw and open up dollars and admissions to students … we want to make sure students know about us and have the option to apply. Giving money is one thing, but driving the dollars is enough.”
Dua’s experience in outreach to his community offered perfect preparation for his new position. Though he stated that being a part of the board of trustees is a more “formalized” way of giving back, helping out in his community’s local Hindu temple, umpiring for a little league baseball team, and teaching tennis at a club he belongs to, has in turn, aided him with his appointment at Scholarship America.
With all his various undertakings Dua admits that time management is crucial and, at times, “very hard.”
“Being a partner, you’re 99 percent busy with kids, and the house and family,” he said. “I travel at least 75 percent of the time during the year; I’m on the road from state to state or country to country. It’s really taking advantage and shutting down on the weekends that’s the big key. I shut down Friday night or Saturday morning and get back on Sunday night. But you don’t make partner at 35 by coming home at five everyday.”
Dua feels it is still manageable for him, saying, “The family has to have a common goal … my infrastructure is so strong in New York it allows me to go many places.” As luck would have it, Dua’s wife is also a graduate of Baruch College and a director at PWC.
He understands that many Baruch students are international students and advises them to “be creative and push and strive hard” to establish family-like bonds. A big key, he stressed, is organizing oneself and working hard.
Dua takes pride in the work ethic of Baruch students even in the face of competition from schools like Columbia and New York University. He understands the pressure of working and going to school since he worked 30-hour weeks while attending Baruch full time. “What has made me successful is our work ethic. We’re most of the times considered the underdog, but with work ethic, we’ve always succeeded with what four or eight years at Baruch teaches you,” he said. This work ethic backing up the underdog status of Baruch students is something Dua claims is an “easy formula for success.”
“You can create your own luck by working hard,” he said.
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