Arushi Ranasaria

Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

“Passionate about finance and positive impact while always bringing the energy and a big smile!”

Fun fact about yourself: I have been learning how to DJ during my senior year!

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

High School: Sussex Hamilton High School

Major: Finance

Minor: Environmental Analysis

Favorite Business Course: Carbon Accounting

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

Olin Business School Distinguished Scholar (Full-tuition merit scholarship)
Women in Finance (President)
Delta Sigma Pi Professional Fraternity (VP of Brotherhood Bonding, VP of Alumni Relations, and South Asian Affinity Group Lead)
Center for Career Engagement Business Peer Coach
RESET: Renewable Energy and Decarbonizing the Grid Teaching Assistant
Introduction to Financial Accounting Teaching Assistant
Arch Consulting (3rd place at UT Austin Women’s Case Competition and 3rd at University of Arizona Business Ethics Competition)
WashU Investment Banking Association
Delegate at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan under the Research and Independent NGO Constituency (RINGO)
Moneythink (VP of Marketing)
Dean’s List

Where have you interned during your college career?

Lazard – Investment Banking Summer Analyst (New York City, NY)
Washington University Investment Management Company – Summer Analyst (St. Louis, MO)
Browning West – Investment Intern (Los Angeles, CA)
Birch Creek Energy – Project Finance Intern (St. Louis, MO)

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be returning to Lazard as an Investment Banking Analyst.

Who is your favorite business professor? My favorite business professor throughout my time at WashU has been Zachary Kaplan.

After taking Managerial Accounting with him during my sophomore year, I was incredibly excited to learn more about the methodology behind emissions reporting in Carbon Accounting with him. Professor Kaplan’s teaching has given us a toolkit to critically evaluate corporate ESG claims and added clarity to sustainability reporting’s gray areas. Additionally, Professor Kaplan’s teaching style truly exemplifies Olin’s emphasis on the value of experiential learning. One of my favorite activities involved analyzing three fictional companies in the imaginary “magic metals” industry, each with different levels of financial and environmental strength. Our challenge was to strategically select which facts to present and then pitch investors on why our company deserved the most capital. Professor Kaplan’s passion for making interactive lessons allows us to utilize and apply what we learn outside of the classroom.

Beyond the classroom, Professor Kaplan is just as happy to discuss why Moana is the best Disney princess as he is to debate the future of sustainability reporting. The spontaneous conversations I’ve had with him on ESG investing, carbon markets, or any business topic imaginable, are a testament to his passion for the topic. His constant willingness to meet with students outside of class and lead review sessions demonstrates his love for teaching and his desire to see his students succeed. I feel incredibly fortunate to have taken two courses with him during my time at WashU.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? One of the most important skills when studying business is staying informed. Staying knowledgeable on current events to understand how they impact market dynamics and investment strategies helps business students develop a more dynamic and analytical mindset. But it’s not just about business news—it’s about grasping how different industries operate.

My experiences in finance have reinforced this perspective; in investing, for example, the impact of geopolitical events and regulatory changes are necessary underwriting considerations. In the context of climate finance and renewable energy, understanding the impact of policy and the discourse surrounding sustainability can help someone contextualize changes to different business models. Recognizing these connections has shaped the way I approach business problems, and I am incredibly grateful to Olin for emphasizing the importance of staying informed from the moment I stepped into my first business course.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? One thing that can come as a surprise but is necessary to learn is the importance of storytelling. While my classes have taken a necessary focus on data and technical skills, one of the most important parts of majoring in business has been the ability to contextualize this data in the form of a compelling story. In interviews, I’ve learned that beyond just listing experiences, I need to articulate who I am—my passions, motivations, and journey—in a way that all ties together. In investment pitches and case studies. While details and analysis are essential, what ultimately matters most is a clear and engaging narrative that ties everything together. No matter the context, storytelling is at the core of effectively conveying ideas in the business world.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I have absolutely loved my time at WashU and have been able to take many interesting classes in and outside of Olin. This past semester, I was able to take a discussion-based political science class about the 2024 election. Taking my first political science class made me wish I had taken more introductory classes for different disciplines, such as linguistics or psychology – topics that were completely new to me and would give me new analytical frameworks and perspectives. College is an amazing opportunity to push yourself outside of your academic comfort zone. While I’ve been able to do that my senior year, I wish I had challenged myself to take at least one course on a completely new topic every semester.

Which academic, extracurricular, or personal achievement are you most proud of? The academic achievement I am most proud of is serving as a delegate at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan, as part of the International Climate Negotiation Seminar taught by Professor Beth Martin.

The seminar was unlike any other class I have taken at WashU. It brought together an incredibly diverse group of students—ranging from undergraduates to law students—each with unique backgrounds and perspectives. Before this class, my background was primarily in corporate finance, with experience in asset management and investment banking, so the realm of climate finance and international climate negotiations was initially unfamiliar to me. During the semester leading up to the conference, we studied the history of international climate policy, the structure of UN climate negotiations, and the high-stake issues on the agenda for COP29. At COP, I closely followed negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which governs international carbon markets and crediting mechanisms, witnessing firsthand the landmark decisions that will shape how countries trade carbon credits and finance emissions reductions globally.

In Baku, it was surreal to sit in negotiation rooms and see the complexity of international policymaking unfold in real time. The experience deepened my belief in market-based solutions for climate action. More than anything, I am proud of stepping outside my comfort zone to apply my finance background in a policy-driven setting. Navigating a highly technical and politically nuanced space, while engaging with global experts, pushed me to think in new ways and strengthened my confidence in tackling complex global challenges. Attending COP29 not only expanded my understanding of climate policy, but also reinforced my belief in financial innovation as a catalyst for climate solutions.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire most is Simar Anand. From the moment we joined our professional fraternity, we became close friends. He is a natural leader and people-person who brings warmth, curiosity, and enthusiasm into whatever he does. What stands out most about Simar is how thoroughly he approaches learning. He dives deeply into every detail, taking very complex ideas and making them sound simple, which is definitely a benefit to anyone lucky enough to study with him! I truly can’t imagine my time at Olin without Simar and am very grateful we are moving to the same city once we graduate!

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I am incredibly grateful for all the people who have supported me and shaped me into the person I am today. My parents left their homes and sacrificed so much to ensure I had access to the best opportunities possible. I always strive to make them proud and to show them how deeply thankful I am for everything they have done for me.

I also want to thank my high school business teacher and DECA advisor, Amanda Fields. Mrs. Fields was my biggest advocate during some of my most pivotal moments before college—she pushed me to aim for the sky and always knew exactly what to say when I needed advice. She inspired my love for business and appreciation for experiential learning. I owe so much of what I have pursued in college to the foundation she helped me build.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list1.

Become a professor in practice at a university (hopefully my alma mater!)
Spend at least a year working in a different country (my study abroad in Madrid wasn’t enough!)

What made Arushi such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“Arushi is one of the most outstanding undergraduates I have had the privilege of working with since I started teaching at Olin a decade ago. She possesses a rare combination of intellectual rigor, exceptional character, and leadership abilities well beyond her years.

While I taught Arushi in two classes, the one that stands out is my class on corporate emissions reporting, which is right in between her finance major and her environmental analysis minor. She approached the class with a deep knowledge and passion that global warming was a significant problem to humanity and had represented WashU at the UN Climate Change Conference. This was a bit concerning for me as a professor on a couple of dimensions. First, I wondered if her expertise would intimidate other students and diminish participation. Second, I wondered if she would take issue with a theme of the course, that the emissions information companies do report is not super informative or used in such a way that it reduces global warming. However, my fears were immediately misplaced as she did not allow her idealism and passion to crowd out a pragmatic digestion of corporate practices. She helped others to understand the issues with the current institutional framework and potential paths forward.

The political situation for climate reporting and better regulation also devolved during the class. Despite this setback, Arushi maintained her enthusiasm that we could ultimately solve this problem, or at least that she was passionate about doing the best that she could. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such a remarkable student and young professional and look forward to witnessing her growth into an exceptional business leader in the years ahead.”

Zachary Kaplan
Associate Professor of Accounting

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