Far From Home, Grad Finds Community and Support at Daniels

Coming from Nepal, Sajit Khadka achieved lofty goals in the Accountancy program

Before he stepped foot on the University of Denver’s campus in 2022, Sajit Khadka hadn’t visited Denver. But he didn’t arrive in the Mile High City on a whim.

Khadka, originally from Nepal, was following in the footsteps of his brother, who had received a degree from DU’s Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. At the time, Khadka already had an MBA and was working in a bank in Nepal as a loan manager. He was looking to take the next step in his career and was willing to leap to graduate school in the U.S.

Leaning on his brother’s positive experience in Denver, Khadka began exploring options at the Daniels College of Business, chatting with program leaders and alums. After each conversation, he became more and more convinced he’d found the right place.

“I reached out to lots of alums, and I didn’t hear one negative thing about DU from any of them,” he said. “There was a lot of risk coming here, I didn’t have on-campus job or anything. But I knew somewhere, somehow I would do good.”

This spring, Khadka becomes the first international student to graduate from the Master of Science in Accounting, Technology and Analytics (MSATA) program. He plans to walk at Academic Hood at a later date, when his family can be in attendance.

And, as part of the STEM-designated MSATA degree, Khadka will have the opportunity to apply for a 24-month extension for Optional Practical Training in the U.S. This means he’ll have the opportunity to tack two more years onto his F-1 Visa. This was one of the main reasons he switched from his original track in the Master of Accountancy program to the MSATA at Daniels.

“That’s very beneficial for international students,” he said of the STEM designation. “And for international candidates, I think that’s one of the deciding criteria during the interview as well, because it’s rare that companies want to hire an employee who can only stay for one year.”

From his first moment on campus, he embraced Daniels’ values and challenged himself, both inside and outside of the classroom. Within a week, he had secured an on-campus job. Shortly after, he became a graduate student ambassador and then a teaching assistant. Up next, internships at Arrow Electronics and Deloitte to complement his coursework. Oh, and on top of all of that, Khadka was preparing to sit for the CPA exam.

He credits the Daniels community with providing him the structure to achieve his lofty goals and manage his busy schedule.

“They have helped me a lot,” Khadka said. “From career advising, course advising, finding internships or recommending me to different firms for interviews, they have been really great.”

He gave specific praise to the School of Accountancy, including its director, Sharon Lassar.

“They have been the real backbone for me,” he said.

He will start full-time at Deloitte in the fall and is planning to remain in Denver after graduation. He’s become accustomed to hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park, cycling around the city and playing volleyball in Washington Park.

Now, almost two years after first arriving in Denver, Khadka will have done what he set out to accomplish. He fondly reflects on a busy, but worthwhile experience at Daniels.

“The last two years have been really great,” he said. “There are a lot of amazing people at Daniels and in Denver that have helped me reach my goals.”