Ariyal Jain

W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University

“I can survive well enough on my own — if given the proper reading material.” (SJM)

Fun fact about yourself: I have been trained in more than 12 different dance styles (ranging from hip hop to Bharatanatyam) for the past 18 years and am now coaching competitive teams as my weekend side quest.

Hometown: Chandler, Arizona

High School: Arizona College Prep Erie (ninth) and Monta Vista High School (10th-12th)

Major: BS Marketing, BS Artificial Intelligence, BS Sustainability

Minor: Psychology

Favorite Business Course: MKT 303: Honors Marketing Theory & Practice

Organizational Involvements:

• W.P. Carey Business School Council (President)
• Changemaker – Social Impact Organization (President)
• Marketing Scholar Program (Founder)
• American Marketing Association (VP of Social Impact)
• Student Alumni Association (Director of Marketing)
• adworks – Student-Run Creative Advertising Agency
• Andaaz – Competitive Collegiate Bollywood Fusion Dance Team

Extracurricular Work:

• Peer Advisor – Academic Orientations
• WPC 101 – 1st Year Business Student Introduction Course (Facilitator)
• Camp B – Honors Camp for 1st Years (Facilitator)
• Robert B. Cialdini Behavioral Science Lab (Research Assistant)
• ABCD School of Dance (Choreographer & Coach)

Honors & Scholar Programs:

• AEF MADE Scholar
• Tillman Scholar
• McCord Scholar
• Earl & Ellen Davis Scholarship
• Dean’s List Recipient (All eligible years)
• Cannes International Festival of Creativity Study Abroad Program
• Barrett Research Fellow

Where have you interned during your college career?

• COX Communications (marketing and sales intern)
• McKinney – Ad Agency (Samsung media analyst intern)
• Paramount (global marketing intern)

Where will you be working after graduation? Still deciding!

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? It’s that business is fundamentally about people. The W. P. Carey motto, “Business is personal,” wasn’t just a slogan during my time in college; it was a lived reality. I’ve learned that profit is a byproduct of human connection. Whether you are optimizing a supply chain or refining a marketing funnel, the most valuable currency is the relationship you build and the empathy you bring.

Throughout my internships and campus organizations, the most enduring takeaway wasn’t a specific project, but the sense of fulfillment and camaraderie found in a high-functioning team. It brings to mind Maya Angelou’s timeless insight: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” At the end of the day, success is built on emotional intelligence.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Find your “Why.” It’s the difference between just having a degree and having a mission. Anyone can talk about their daily to-do list, but the people who stand out are those who can connect their decisions to a deeper purpose. If you know your “Why,” you don’t just have a major, you have a story that people will remember.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into its programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? W. P. Carey prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation. True to form, our college jumped on the AI wave early. Last year, the school launched one of the first “AI in Business” degree programs in the nation. Being part of one of the inaugural cohorts in this major has been transformative.

A common misconception is the fear that AI will replace humans. However, the more I use the technology, the more I understand that (at least for the moment) it doesn’t replace human intelligence; it augments it. When used efficiently, AI streamlines mundane tasks so we can focus on the high-level strategy and ethical implications that only humans can navigate. On a similar note, I’ve learned that AI is only as useful as the prompt engineering behind it. Because the output is only as good as the input, I’ve found that those most successful with AI are the ones who have mastered the art of the detailed, well-written prompt.

Which academic, extracurricular, or personal achievement are you most proud of? My goal in college was to leave a tangible legacy, and I found that opportunity as President of the W. P. Carey Business School Council. Recognizing that the barrier to entry for new students is often the difficulty of finding a community, I spearheaded the inaugural W. P. Carey Welcome Carnival. What started as a strategic initiative to bridge the gap between student leaders and incoming first-year students evolved into one of the school’s largest new traditions.

Bringing this to life required months of cross-functional planning, securing local corporate sponsorships, and navigating complex logistics. After a successful pilot of 400 attendees, we doubled our impact the following year. Most importantly, we saw a 30% increase in overall engagement across all business school organizations. While the event itself was a celebration, the true achievement is the pathway to belonging that it created; hearing from first-year students that the carnival was where they found their people and the courage to get involved is easily the highlight of my undergraduate career.

Which classmate do you most admire? This question was the hardest for me to answer. Not because I couldn’t think of anyone, but because there are too many people I admire. I am so incredibly lucky to be surrounded by seriously amazing people all the time. Every day, I learn something new about someone I work with or a friend of mine, and I have to take a second to appreciate how impressive my friends are.

Avery Wright comes to mind because of her dedication to being an authentic, continuous learner who strives to be 1% better every day. She also inspires me with her dedication to her mission and the craft of women’s empowerment in sports. Then there is Grace Reiter, who was like a mentor to me. Her ambition and drive are unbeatable. She created her own sustainable product startup from scratch while managing a million other organizations, scholar programs, internships, and jobs. Her ability to balance work and herself has taught me so much about what I want to be like. Then there are people like Kate Shimkus and Vedika Thareja, both incredible leaders who are not only organized but also astonishingly thoughtful. They embody emotional intelligence and unconditional kindness. Then there are people like Macy Haugland and Austin Kerr, whom I admire because of their commitment to service. I could name over 25 people I admire in one way or another, but ultimately the ones I admire the most are intelligent, selfless, compassionate, and genuine.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My brother. Beyond being one of my biggest supporters, he is my essential reality check. He reminds me to stay grounded in a high-stakes environment where it is incredibly easy to obsess over wins and losses, overthink every move, or constantly compare yourself to others, in the present. Everyone needs that one person who is completely unimpressed by your résumé, isn’t afraid to call you out, and ultimately keeps you human.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Run my own nonprofit organization.
2. Return to ASU (and other universities) as a keynote speaker or professor of practice and pay forward the mentorship and education systems that shaped my career.

What made Ariyal Jain such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“Ari has been an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026 because of her extraordinary commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for her fellow students. While pursuing three distinct degrees in marketing, artificial intelligence, and sustainability, along with a minor in psychology and being a member of Barrett, The Honors College, she has remained deeply engaged on campus, consistently bringing forward thoughtful ideas to enhance the student experience and taking the initiative to design and execute them with a high level of excellence.

Widely known and respected across W. P. Carey for her leadership, initiative, and collaborative spirit, Ari leads in every setting she enters, from serving as president of the Business School Council to her role as ASU Changemaker Central’s Tempe campus lead. In addition, she helped design and launch Marketing Scholars, a selective program for top students in the marketing degree program and marketing degree program with a concentration in digital marketing. Ari presented the concept to the Marketing Advisory Council — comprised of current and former senior marketing executives — who now serve as mentors to the scholars.

Her leadership is rooted in action: She shows up consistently, mobilizes others, and creates tangible, lasting impact on the lives of those around her. Her exceptional leadership skills, intellectual curiosity, strong work ethic, and unwavering commitment to excellence have led to her selection for multiple prestigious scholar programs, including McCord Scholars and Tillman Scholars, as well as impressive internships with Paramount, McKinney, and Cox Communications.”

Amy Ostrom
Vice Dean and Interim Chair of the Department of Marketing

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