As a young girl, Sahana Sivarajan would tag along with her father Ratna, a marketing executive at pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson, on “Take Your Child to Work” days.
“I remember the lab tours so vividly,” the Southborough native says. “The scientists are creating the product, and then marketing is telling the story. And seeing my dad and his co-workers — they were genuinely friends. It made me think, ‘This is what a great workplace looks like.’”
Flash forward to Sivarajan’s freshman year as an honors business major with concentrations in marketing and management at UMass Lowell. While taking requisite science classes on North Campus, she often passed research labs that reminded her of those childhood visits.
“It was kind of like a full-circle moment,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, maybe I can work as a marketer in pharma.’”
Determined to make the most of her college experience, Sivarajan immersed herself in student organizations — and quickly learned the importance of balance.
“I was part of six clubs at one point during my sophomore year, and I didn’t realize I was doing too much. It was going to lead to burnout,” says Sivarajan, who whittled her commitments in half.
She now serves as president of the Manning Student Leaders Council, which convenes leaders of business student organizations with the Dean’s Office to coordinate initiatives. She is also president of the Management Society and co-vice president of Joy Tong Women in Business.
Through the Joy Tong student organization’s professional network, Sivarajan has secured multiple internships. As a marketing intern with the Shah Academy for Leadership and Innovation, she facilitated more than 20 workshops, revamped website content and launched data-informed social media campaigns that increased engagement by 40%.
She followed that with a business development and marketing internship with Sarango Executive Coaching, where she manages weekly LinkedIn, Instagram and Mailchimp content and uses AI tools to streamline workflows.
“Networking has honestly changed everything for me,” Sivarajan says. “One connection leads to another, and that’s how opportunities happen.”
Now preparing to graduate a semester early, Sivarajan hopes to land a summer marketing internship in pharma, consulting or tech before launching her full-time career.
Once a shy person, she says college has helped her grow more confident and visible within the Manning community.
“I’ve definitely found my identity at UMass Lowell,” she says.