My name is Vikram Ghangurde. I am a fifth-year history major and international relations minor in the Faculty of Arts. I have previous work experience in nonprofit and university settings. At this time, I am most interested in pursuing a career in a university setting, but would also like to explore opportunities related to marketing and communications. I have not worked much in the private sector, so I would like to experience it before fully committing to an industry.

I chose history as my major because I have always enjoyed imagining the past. When I took Tara Mayer’s class on Indian history, I discovered that what we call “history” is really our own construction of what we believe the past was like based on the available evidence and our own biases. Ever since then, I have been passionate about discovering different interpretations of the past. I enjoy exploring different periods of history and discovering the similarities and differences between different movements and people. This also complements my minor in international relations, because it provides a deeper understanding of how nations have interacted throughout history. I chose my minor because I am also passionate about learning about the systems that connect our world.

From my previous jobs, I have had some experience with workplace communication. I have had experience with responding to customer questions over the phone and email. At the Centre for Student Involvement & Careers at UBC, I was responsible for answering student questions at the front desk and responding to emails and phone calls. For this role, I received professional training in customer service, and I am familiar with how to interact professionally with the public. I have also co-written a report that I later presented to a team. I was tasked with reporting on learning outcomes of the previous year’s Peer Programs, a group of programs designed to foster leadership skills at UBC.