Winter graduate shares academic, social, professional journey
Kyle Bansa explains the social pull of TU and how becoming more involved led to personal and professional development.
By Casey Bordick on December 14, 2023
Kyle Bansa has always wanted to prove himself.
"I've always wanted to be the best, to push myself,” he says. “I'm also a very competitive person in anything I do, but I think academics were always a sole focus of mine."
During Bansa’s early education in Ghana, he remembers school being rigid, and studying was his main priority.
A combination of his experience in Ghana and family values promoted consistency in the classroom from then on.
This winter, Bansa is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in economics (financial economics track) from the College of Business and Economics and is a member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon Academic Honors Society for Economics.
Starting his journey at TU, Bansa noticed the community around him and allowed himself to branch out and become more social while still achieving his goal of academic excellence.
“I immediately felt a strong sense of community here…It’s almost ineffable,” he says. “I started to feel the social pull of the campus.”
Bansa became more involved at TU and took on new opportunities. He was a residential assistant in Tower C at the Glen Complex and a supplemental instruction (SI) tutor for ECON 205 Statistics for Business and Economics.
That role was offered to Bansa by professor Soheila Fardanesh, the course’s lecturer. Fardanesh was very influential for him throughout his undergraduate career. “She was a source of wealth and knowledge for me.”
She encouraged Bansa to express more of his personality through his coursework and directly help students. “It’s not just the students that push you to become more sociable, it’s the faculty.”
Bansa regards the role as one of the greatest opportunities he had at TU. The position taught him to adapt to different learning needs of students and provided the chance to strengthen his social skills. “I would not be who I am today without that opportunity.”
“When I think of Kyle, all I can do is smile,” Fardanesh explains. “Kyle is a unique combination of the best traits you could ask for in a human. He’s kind, humble, hardworking and a natural leader. Everything he does, he does with intention and purpose—and gives 100% of himself to it. I’ll have him on speed dial for all my wealth management questions.”
Another highlight during his time at TU was with the Towson University Investment Group (TUIG). TUIG supports students with the chance to gain familiarity with research, analysis and management of equity investments. Bansa learned practical finance knowledge from alumni speakers, leading him to become more proactive in finding an internship and narrowing his career search.
During summer 2023, he worked for Bank of America as a wealth management analyst intern researching index funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds). After three months demonstrating his knowledge and desire to help the company, he was offered a full-time position after graduation.
Bansa is proud of his time as an undergraduate and is excited to continue growing within his field.
His TU journey is highlighted by his academic accomplishments and ability to successfully adjust in the different roles that were offered to him. The chances he took were a catalyst for momentous personal and professional growth, and he urges every TU student to take similar chances to test their limits. “If you do not start off strong, it is very hard to bounce back,” he says, “It is all about the opportunities and setting yourself up for success.”