NJIT Master's in Management Scholar Lands Financial Sales Role at New York Life
Time management and discipline were key to Arina Babkova’s success as a graduate student at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Why? Because she completed her master’s in management at NJIT’s Martin Tuchman School of Management in two semesters while playing Division I tennis at a high level in the spring and fall. Her mentors were impressed.
“Arina was a student in both my FinTech and Advanced Financial Data Analytics courses and she consistently stood out for her intellectual curiosity and engagement,” said Assistant Professor Ajim Uddin. “She maintained strong focus to the course material. Her ability to balance academics and athletics while remaining fully engaged in the classroom speaks to her discipline, drive and genuine passion for learning.”
On the court, Babkova played both singles and doubles as the team won 13 of its 19 contests — including 9-0 at home — and advanced to its fourth straight conference tournament.
“She fit into the team dynamic beautifully and was essential to our success,” Head Coach Patty Piorkowski said. “Arina arrived with the ability to compete at the highest level and was an enthusiastic role model for her teammates.”
Now Babkova, a member of the Class of 2025 who grew up in Dubna, Russia, is about to start a job at New York Life, where she’ll work as a financial sales representative, applying lessons from the classroom and court.
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Fintech and an oasis
In her master’s studies, Babkova concentrated on financial technology and appreciated Uddin’s accessibility, openness to student questions and passion for teaching.
“He’s always welcoming his students to ask questions, come to office hours and elaborate on their thoughts,” Babkova said.
She’s equally effusive about Piorkowski, describing her as an “incredible human being” who “transformed my way of thinking while on the tennis court,” be it processing a loss, judging personal performance or adjusting as a team.
While tennis can be demanding, it’s also an oasis for Babkova.
“Something I love most about it is its ability to isolate me from all the worries outside of the court. It brings me a sense of belonging and peace,” said Babkova, who started playing at 5 and also competed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she earned a bachelor’s in economics. “Tennis has brought a sense of community, companionship and perseverance into my everyday life.”
That’s quite a foundation for life after NJIT.
