Featured Student: Maya Morjaria

With a mother and sister who were already Bearcat alumni, Maya Morjaria knew that coming to UC meant stepping into a legacy. What she couldn’t imagine at the start was how far her studies through LCB and the UHP would take her once she arrived.

Morjaria looks back on one study-abroad opportunity in particular, a course focused on small-business economic development in Cape Town, South Africa, as a transformative experience. In line with the class’s emphasis on service and real-world impact, Morjaria and her group partnered with a local small-business owner to collaboratively develop marketing materials, a website, loyalty cards, and a revamped logo for her nail salon. It was an exercise in “listening carefully, connecting with people honestly, and being open to learning from them,” one that made it possible for her to witness resilience in others and then to practice it herself.

As she prepares to embark on a new chapter on the other side of the country, in her new role as an underwriter for Nationwide in Scottsdale, AZ, Morjaria will carry that resilient mindset with her. Morjaria sees the UHP as a driving force for her growth in skills that span the gap between the personal and the professional, helping her build stronger relationships and make a lasting impact on the world around her: “the UHP helped me develop not only as a student, but as a person who is more reflective, open-minded, and intentional about growth.”