Spears School of Business

 

The Center for Advanced Global Leadership and Engagement (CAGLE) and the Spears School of Business is excited to announce the April 2021 Graduate Global Student of the Month is Arka De.

 

De is a graduate student studying Management Information Systems. He hails from one of the most culturally diverse countries globally, calling West Bengal, India home. Growing up, De spoke Bengali, one of the sweetest languages in the world.

 

“The state is mainly known for its liberal culture, arts, movies, music, literature, sweets, food and language,” De said. “Bengal has produced multiple world-class legends when it comes to movies, literature and the arts.”

 

 

After completing his undergraduate studies in India, De visited and moved to the United States in 2019 to attend Oklahoma State University. Attracted by the outstanding academics, faculty and facilities, he knew Stillwater was the place for him. However, another unlikely attraction drew De to the plains of Oklahoma.

 

“I wanted to experience the rural American culture before I moved to a big American city for a full-time job,” De said. “One of my favorite video game series is Red Dead Redemption, which is about cowboys. The main city of the game is called ‘Blackwater’ which is loosely based on Stillwater. I wanted to be a cowboy.”

 

Leaning on his international background, De uses his identity to bring fresh new perspectives and interpretations to Stillwater and OSU. He loves to expose other students to new ideas, cultures and diversity; while also experiencing new things himself and trying everything thrown this way.

 

 

“Among all the events I have had the opportunity to attend and participate in, my favorite one is something most wouldn’t say, that being the blood drive at the student union,” De said. “I donate blood and it makes me feel happy. I feel closer to not only the people at OSU but Oklahoma also.”

 

De describes trying new things as one of his best traits. He does not isolate himself only to his culture or field of study; often reading new books, watching movies, traveling to new places and meeting new people.

 

“Any new knowledge or experiences I can get excites me and keeps me moving forward in life,” he said.

 

Congratulations, Arka De, for being named the Spears Graduate Global Student of the Month for April 2021!